Writers from seven countries will be guests of the Day of Belarusian Written Language

August 29, Minsk / Tatyana Pastushenko - BELTA /. Writers from seven countries will be guests of the Belarusian Written Language Day in Glubokoye, Vitebsk region. This was announced today to journalists by the First Deputy Minister of Information, Lilia Ananich, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. Among the invited guests are poets, writers, playwrights, and publicists from Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Montenegro, and Turkmenistan. All of them will take part in the international round table "Writer. Book. Time," which will be held on September 1. The round table is organized by the Ministry of Information, the publishing house "Literature and Art," the publishing house "Belarusian Encyclopedia named after Petrus Brovka," and the Union of Writers of Belarus. As Lilia Ananich noted, the participants will express their opinions on the place and role of literature and writers in modern society, discuss new technologies and their impact on literature, etc. The main events of the Belarusian Written Language Day will take place on September 2, and on September 1, they will be preceded by the unveiling of a memorial plaque dedicated to the writer and publicist Leontiy Rakovskiy, an exhibition-presentation "Poetic Living Room" by the National Library of Belarus, dedicated to the works of national poets Yanka Kupala, Yakub Kolas, and Maksim Tank. The award ceremony for the winners of the XX Republican Competition "Library - the Environment of National Culture" will also take place, and exhibitions of printed rarities from the collections of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve and the history of writing from the collections of the Vitebsk Regional Museum of Local Lore will be open. On the same day, a scientific and practical conference "Glubokoye Readings" will be held. Lilia Ananich paid special attention to the competition of young readers of the Glubokoye district "Living Classics," dedicated to the anniversaries of Yanka Kupala, Yakub Kolas, and Maksim Tank, which will be held at the Written Language Day for the first time. The First Deputy Minister of Information expressed hope that in 2013, when Bykhov, Mogilev region, will host the festival, the competition of young readers will already be organized at the republican level. In the future, it is planned to make it an annual event. The Written Language Day on September 2 will begin with a divine liturgy at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. A square of famous natives of Glubokoye will be opened. On the main stage, according to tradition, writers who are winners of the Republican Competition for the Best Literary Work of 2012 will be awarded. Visitors will be able to listen to a concert by the G. Tsitovich National Academic Folk Choir of Belarus, performances by creative groups from the region and foreign guests, and also get acquainted with the youth project "Time Has Chosen Us." The program of the festival includes a large-scale book and press festival, which includes the demonstration of the exhibition "Media of the Vitebsk Region," presentations of publishing projects, and meetings with writers, poets, publishers, journalists, and press distributors. Entertainment is also prepared for the youngest guests of the Written Language Day – the festival "Together with the Book We Grow," an exhibition-fair of children's decorative and applied arts, a chalk drawing competition, and a children's plein air named after Yuzef Drozdovich. Lilia Ananich also said that more than 100 Belarusian writers will take part in the celebration of the Belarusian Written Language Day, and about a hundred representatives of various media will cover the event. The next Written Language Day will conclude with a gala concert by artists and a festive fireworks display. According to tradition, a symbolic pennant will be handed over to the city that will host the future festival.