"Under the Sails of Dreams", a route along the Polota River and "ParasonFest". How did Polotsk celebrate the city's 1159th anniversary?
The rich program brought together many wonderful events dedicated to City Day. Among them were the touching graduation ceremony "Under the Sails of Dreams," performances by Alla Dukhova's "TODES" ballet, and the historical costume theater "Polotski zvyaz." Also featured were the opening of the third labor semester of 2021, a water-tourism route along the Polota River "Polotski Dozor," a concert program "In the Style of Rock" performed by the pop-symphony orchestra, the "ParasonFest-2021" colored umbrella festival, and a robotics and programming tournament for students.
The main celebrations took place on Saturday. The first event was the festive procession "Polotsk. Belarus. Unity," which symbolically united everyone who cherishes the city where the history of Belarusian statehood began. In festive columns, honorary citizens of Polotsk, representatives of the older generation and youth, national diasporas, public associations, professionals from various fields and industries, leaders and rank-and-file workers, military personnel and cadets, and participants of creative groups marched. They were greeted by the leadership of the Polotsk district, deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, and other distinguished guests.
On the main stage in Freedom Square, congratulations were extended to the residents of Polotsk by the Chairman of the Polotsk District Executive Committee Igor Markoviche, Bishop Ignatiy of Polotsk and Glubokoye, and heads of delegations from twin cities. A solemn ceremony for conferring the title of "Honorary Citizen of the City of Polotsk" also took place here. This year, in accordance with the decision of the Polotsk District Council of Deputies, the high title of "Honorary Citizen of the City of Polotsk" has been awarded to Taisiya Bogushevich, Deputy Chairperson of the district organization of the NGO "Belarusian Union of Women," Evgenia Murutkova, a teacher at Secondary School No. 16, and Garriy Trifsik, Head of the Polotsk Blood Transfusion Station of the State Healthcare Institution "Polotsk Central City Hospital."
The strength of any city lies in its people. Polotsk is proud of its workers who create its unique image, strengthen its well-being, and glorify it with their achievements. With warm applause, the participants of the celebration welcomed the workers and collectives of enterprises and organizations that have been working for the benefit of Polotsk for many years, have made a significant contribution to its development, have earned the respect of their colleagues, and, based on the results of work for 2020, have been inscribed on the District Honor Board.
…Meanwhile, a festive atmosphere permeated every corner of the city center. Writers and musicians performed on various stages. Representatives of the enterprise "Beltelecom" presented the mobile application "My City," inviting everyone to participate in a quiz and win a prize. Visitors could stroll through the festive trade rows, attend a culinary festival, a strongman competition, and children's play areas. There was also an opportunity to ride a dragon boat on the Western Dvina River, buy souvenirs from artisans in the "City of Masters," or engage with a cultural and educational project dedicated to Polotsk's sister cities, prepared by educational institutions.
The May format for celebrating City Day, which Polotsk has returned to after several years, is clearly to the liking of its residents. Energized by positivity and inspiration, the people of Polotsk rolled up their sleeves once again to work for the benefit of their native land.