A delegation from the Vitebsk region participated in a meeting of the Council for Culture and Tourism under the Governor of the Smolensk region

Before the speakers' presentations, Governor Alexey Ostrovsky addressed the Belarusian delegation: "I thank our colleagues from the Vitebsk region for participating in the council meeting, for the proposals received during its preparation, and for actively inviting Smolensk ensembles to participate in festivals, concert programs, exhibitions, and other creative forums in your republic."

In 2016, which was the Year of Culture in the Republic of Belarus, ensembles from the Smolensk region participated in the traditional culture festival "Braslavskie Zarnitsy," the song and music festival "Dneprovskie Golosa v Dubrovne," the folk costume competition-festival "Shyvki Masterstva" as part of the "Slavyansky Bazar v Vitebske" arts festival, the thematic evening "Dorogami Pokoleniy," and the competition of Afghan and patriotic guitar songs "Vremya Vybralo Nas." In turn, creative ensembles from the Dvina region visited the Smolensk region festivals "Slavyansky Khorovod," "Velizhskaya Vesna," "Svyataya Rus. Svyazyvayushchie Niti," the Eastern dance championship, and thematic and anniversary concerts. Traditionally, ties were maintained between cultural institutions of Vitebsk and Smolensk, Orsha and Vyazma, Liozno and Rudnya, Vitebsk and Velizh, and Tolochin and Krasninsky districts. A constant exchange of exhibitions has been organized: the folk art exhibition "Smolenshchina Masterovaya" (Masterful Smolensk Region) at the Vitebsk Regional Center for Folk Art and the decorative and applied arts exhibition "Narodnoye Iskusstvo Vitebshchiny" (Folk Art of the Vitebsk Region) in Smolensk.

Last year, based on the Smolensk Regional Library, in agreement with the National Center for Legal Information of the Republic of Belarus, the first and only Center for Reference Legal Information of the Union State in Russia was established. Thus, Smolensk residents gained access to

Electronic legal framework of Belarus. This year, the creation of joint electronic resources, mobile exhibitions, festivals and competitions is planned, as well as the opening of a reading room for Belarusian literature at the Smolensk Regional Library.

Gennady Egorov thanked the administration of the Smolensk region for cooperation. "The socio-cultural sphere plays a big role in strengthening mutual understanding between countries, peoples, and is important for the objective development of interstate relations. We are increasingly convinced that the consolidation of state, material, social, and cultural resources gives confidence in the future. The Vitebsk region is ready and open for further mutually beneficial cooperation with the Smolensk region. Undoubtedly, today's meeting is another brick in the foundation on which the Union State is being built," he noted.