The international conference will be held on May 5th to mark the 100th anniversary of the Vitebsk Learned Archive Commission

April 28, Vitebsk / Sergey Kochetov - BELTA/. The international scientific conference "Vitebsk Region Local Lore", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Vitebsk Learned Archival Commission, will be held on May 5 at the Vitebsk State University named after P. Masherov. The Dean of the Faculty of History of the university, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Veniamin Kosmach, informed a BELTA correspondent about this. Nearly 100 specialists from Belarus and Russia will take part in the event – these are scientists, teachers, undergraduates and students of universities and scientific centers, as well as employees of museums and archives. The main areas of the conference will include research into the activities and significance of the Vitebsk Learned Archival Commission in the development of archival affairs in Belarus, the history and culture of Vitebsk, the development of historical science, archival studies, museum studies and cultural studies in the Vitebsk region, as well as research on religious life in the Vitebsk region. In addition, participants will discuss the development of international cooperation of Vitebsk with twin cities, the state and prospects of tourism in the regional center. During the conference, specialists will exchange information on the latest scientific research in the field of local lore and archival affairs, and discuss innovations and practical experience in teaching historical science at a university. A collection of conference materials is planned to be published based on the results. The conference is organized by the Faculty of History of VSU named after P. Masherov and the State Archive of the Vitebsk Region. The Vitebsk Learned Archival Commission was established on May 31, 1909, on the initiative of Vitebsk historians and local lore specialists E. Romanov, A. Sapunov, V. Arsenyev, and others. This historical society, which has no analogues in modern Belarus, was engaged in the establishment of the provincial historical archive, the protection and study of archaeological, historical and cultural monuments, the collection of antiquities, and archaeological excavations. One of the commission's activities was the research and popularization of the history of the native region. Commission members organized excursions to historical sites and published scientific and popular works on the history of the Vitebsk region. The Vitebsk Learned Archival Commission established a provincial archive, a museum, and a library, which subsequently contributed to the development of archival, museum, and library affairs in the Dvina region. The book collection and exhibits collected by the commission formed the basis for the creation of the modern regional local lore museum and the regional library. On the initiative of the Vitebsk Learned Archival Commission, the Vitebsk branch of the Moscow Archaeological Institute was established in the city in 1911, which trained specialists in the fields of "learned archivist," "learned archaeologist," and "learned art historian" (closed in 1922 after the liquidation of the Moscow Architectural Institute). The commission also initiated the opening of the Vitebsk Teacher's Institute. The fund of the Vitebsk Learned Archival Commission is stored in the National Historical Archive of Belarus.-0-