Over 300 young people from 6 countries will gather in Vitebsk for the Orthodox youth festival "Odigitria"

July 25, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Over 300 young people from six countries will come to Vitebsk for the X Orthodox Youth Festival "Odigitria", the diocesan department for youth affairs of the Vitebsk-Orsha Diocese informed a BELTA correspondent. Orthodox youth from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Macedonia, and the USA will come to the festival, which will begin its work on July 31. The concept of the festival is based on the principle that creativity is a gift from God the Creator to man, a sign that he is created in the image and likeness of God, and that the highest creativity – the creation of one's own life – is most fully open to young people, which is why the festival is dedicated to their creativity. The festival program is rich not only in spiritual events, meetings with clergy, and liturgies, but also in educational activities. These include master classes of the bell ringers' school, on women's hairstyles in the traditions of Western Belarus, belt weaving, and clay modeling. On one of the days, a choreography evening will be held at the camp with master classes in dances of ancient Belarus and peoples of the world, as well as the art project "Brotherhood Round Dance" and a youth ball with the participation of guests of the holiday – historical reconstruction clubs. Excursions around Vitebsk and to the Holy Assumption Monastery of Polotsk are planned for the guests. On August 3, the gala concert of the "Odigitria" festival will be held on the stage of the Summer Amphitheater, where the winners of the competition program will perform. And on August 5, the festival participants will go on a procession to Smolensk, where on August 9, a celebration in honor of the "Odigitria" icon of the Mother of God will be held, and the Vitebsk festival will conclude. The organizers of the festival are the association of Orthodox youth of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, the Vitebsk diocesan department for youth affairs, the Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood, the Alexander Nevsky Lavra of St. Petersburg, the Slavic Youth Union, and the Department of Culture of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee. The festival is held within the framework of the cooperation agreement between the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Secretariat of the Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.-0-