Day of Belarusian Written Language in Rogachev
The Day of Belarusian Writing is a national holiday and is held with the aim of promoting the best spiritual and educational traditions of our people. Year after year, there is a special competition regarding which settlement will become the capital of this distinctive event. One of the cities is chosen, whose representatives have made a significant contribution to the history and culture of Belarus. The Day of Belarusian Writing is celebrated on the first Sunday of September, and it began in 1994 in Polotsk. The Vitebsk region has become the venue for the celebration more than once: in 1998, Orsha hosted it, in 2003 – Polotsk again, in 2006 – Postavy, and in 2012 – Glubokoye.
This year, the honor fell to the city of Rogachev in the Gomel region. The preparation and holding of the holiday is a gift to the local residents that remains with them for many years. At the same time, the preservation of historical heritage, the improvement of the territory, and the renovation of social and cultural facilities depend solely on their efforts and diligence.
For two days, September 3 and 4, Rogachev hosted guests of the cultural and educational forum. Delegations from all regions of our republic, as well as from near and far abroad – from 19 countries of the world – gathered in the ancient city on the Dnieper.
Those who wished could ride on "poetic" buses that operated on regular city routes. In the thematically decorated salons, poems by Yanka Kupala, Yakub Kolas, Maksim Bahdanovich, Vladimir Karatkevich, and other Belarusian classics were recited.
On the first day, the Festival of Book and Press began, literary readings, art and book exhibitions were held. Including those dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the birth of Vladimir Mulyavin, the 95th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Melezh, the 120th anniversary of the birth of Kondrat Krapiva,
125th anniversary of the birth of Maxim Bogdanovich.On September 4, the House of Books was solemnly opened in the restored building of the former Pioneers' House. It houses the central and children's libraries, a conference hall, and now also a new bookstore "Pervotsvet". Especially for its opening, the organizers of the Day of Belarusian Written Language asked famous fellow countrymen, including statesmen, cultural figures, and athletes, to participate in an event to create a special shelf with "spiritual treasures" - their favorite books. A book with a signature, donated by a vice-premier or a governor, is an artifact that becomes a city treasure.
Vice-Premier Natalya Kachanova presented a book about her native Polotsk, Chairman of the Gomel Regional Executive Committee Vladimir Dvornik - a chronicle book of the Gomel region, Bishop of Gomel and Zhlobin Stepan - the Bible. Artists Yadviha Poplavskaya and Alexander Tikhanovich presented the House of Books with Vladimir Karatkevich's novel "The Wild Hunt of King Stakh". The Union of Writers of Belarus presented several dozen publications, and its chairman Nikolai Cherginets personally presented the works of Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas.
It is noteworthy that on the Day of Belarusian Written Language, the House of Books was named after Vladimir Karatkevich, a native of the Vitebsk region, whose life and work are closely connected with Rogachev. In the house of his maternal uncle, practically on the banks of the Dnieper, our famous countryman began to write his famous "Spikes under the Sickle of Yours".
At noon, a solemn ceremony of opening the Day of Belarusian Written Language took place on the central square of Rogachev. Participants of the festival were offered an artistic and theatrical performance "Belarus - an Ancient Song". The names of the laureates of the National Literary Prize, for which more than 70 works were nominated, were announced on the main stage of the forum. The best authors were determined in seven genres. The winners were awarded commemorative signs-symbols, diplomas, and prizes.
The dominants of the celebration were the themes of the Year of Culture,
preparation of the country for the 500th anniversary of Belarusian book printing. Among the most bright moments of the celebration were the opening of the permanent exhibition "Truly Folk" (about the life and work of Andrei Makayonok), "Slavic Literary Dazhynki – 2016", the play "The Bard" by the National Academic Drama Theatre named after M. Gorky. Participants of the celebration visited numerous exhibitions, literary readings, meetings with writers, and other interesting events.A delegation of writers from the Vitebsk region also took part in the celebration, headed by Gennady Yegorov, Head of the Main Department of Ideological Work, Culture and Youth Affairs of the Regional Executive Committee, and Tamara Krasnova-Gusachenko, Chairperson of the regional branch of the Union of Writers of Belarus. The poems of our compatriots were heard at the poetic venues of Roghachov.
The XXIII Day of Belarusian Written Language concluded with the ceremonial handover of the relay for holding the holiday to Polotsk. Nikolai Shevchuk, Chairman of the Polotsk District Executive Committee, addressing the residents and guests of Roghachov, noted that ancient Polotsk will host the cultural and spiritual forum of Belarus for the third time. Roghachov's experience will contribute to holding the holiday at a worthy level.
Alexander Gvozdov. Photo by Dmitry Osipov. "Vitebskiye Vesti".