The Cherry Festival was celebrated for the sixth time in Glubokoye
A warm meeting of delegations from Belarus, Latvia, Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Georgia, Ukraine, and France took place at the district executive committee. Representatives from France promised that next year they would bring a team of accordionists with old songs. They also invited the head of the Glubokoye district, Oleg Morhat, to a bayan competition in their country, as they are aware of the musical talents of the chairman of the district executive committee. Oleg Morhat promised to consider the proposal.
A theatrical program was held on the central stage of the forum. Before its start, the chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies, Vladimir Terentyev, congratulated everyone on the holiday. "The Vitebsk region hosts the largest number of festivals, and they are all different. Next year, we will celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the traditional culture festival "Braslavskie Zarnitsy," a number of festivals in Vitebsk, Postavy, and Dubrovno are approaching the 30-year mark. The festival in Glubokoye is breakthrough and sparkling. Perhaps there is no other forum in Belarus that, having appeared in 2013 as a regional one, has received international status in its fifth year of existence. This indicates that it has not just grown, but has become worthy of being recognized."
"and abroad," emphasized Vladimir Terentyev. He added that the regional administration would fully support the festival.The "Cherry Paradise" homestead competition, featuring all sorts of cherry delicacies (even cherry dumplings), is organized by the event organizers. Compared to last year, the cherry harvest was abundant this year, resulting in a wide variety of dishes and drinks made from it. The hospitable hosts of the homesteads continue to amaze. An exhibition-fair of folk crafts is also organized in Glubokoye. Algirdas and Rasa Breidokas from Lithuania, who are engaged in weaving belts using 16th-century technologies, have come to the cherry capital for the third time. It takes about two to three days to create one item on average.
"Both soul and time are invested in the belts. The threads are handmade and dyed with natural plant-based dyes. Our goal is to interest young people and teach them this craft. By the way, a girl from the House of Crafts in Glubokoye also makes belts; we met her and showed her our technique. Now, at our meetings, we improve our skills together and share our experience," said Algirdas Breidokas.
This year's "Cherry Festival" turned out to be a folk, family-warm, and positive event. Representatives of the Korsak family, who came from Poland, spoke about their roots and love for Glubokoye. Their ancestor, Iosif Korsak, did many beneficial deeds for the city in the 17th century; under his leadership and financial assistance, three churches were built. The district center preserves the memory of the patron: in 2012, a bust of Iosif Korsak was erected on the "Alley of Famous Countrymen." Modern branches of the Korsak family are scattered across Russia, Poland, and Belarus. Alexander Korsak, who came to the celebration with
sons and father, lives in Warsaw. They have been coming to Glubokoye for the last four years - not for long periods, but often. This time they took advantage of the opportunity of a five-day visa-free regime.
In 2014, for the city's 600th anniversary, the family
brought a copy of a painting depicting a famous ancestor. Reading a book about
Glubokoye by local historian Otto Gedeman, Alexander learned that the original
work used to hang on one of the church walls. He found a reduced black-and-white
copy of the drawing in a newspaper from 1905. He contacted a Polish artist who
specializes in old portraits and knows the colors and techniques used at that
time. After long persuasion, the painting was created, and now it adorns the
church in Glubokoye.
"Our ties with the city are only strengthening.
Recently, children with disabilities visited Poland for two weeks, then Poles
visited you. In addition, thanks to the press, we found other representatives
of the Korsakov family who live in Polotsk. And in 2015, we met near the bust of
Iosif Korsak in Glubokoye and spent several days together," added Alexander
Korsak.
The "Cherry Festival" was rich in meetings and sincere emotions. Once again, it proved that the forum has strong roots. As part of the celebration, a competition for bayan, accordion, and harmonica players "Cherry Melodies" was held. In the evening, guests were treated to the gala concert "Cherry Blossom of Friendship," a solemn closing ceremony, and the "Cherry Pie" auction. The program also included a concert by the art group "Belarusy," fireworks, and a "Cherry Mix" disco.
BELTA.