Celebrating nature as a source of inspiration, this year’s European Heritage Days in Belarus presented the astonishing beauty of the country’s remarkable landscapes through the eyes of poets, writers, painters, and photographers!

Opened on 29th September, 2017 in the art gallery of the University Of Culture Republic Of Belarus, European Heritage Days 2017 in Belarus showcased the works of art that speak about the eternal values of Belarussian natural heritage. Natalia Khvir, European Heritage Days National Coordinator and Vice Head of the Department for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, explains that the event celebration in the gallery included a photo exhibition of prominent Belarusian writers.

She mentions Sergei Plytkevich, Valeria Vedrenko, Alfred Mikus, Victor Suglob, Constantine Moiseenko, Victor Malyschits Yuri Zherko, Vitaly Rakovic, Victor led, Mihaila Kulesha, Dmitry Osipov, who portrayed the beauty and uniqueness of the nature of the Belarus.

In addition to this, the event presented the works of famous Belarus poets whose works celebrate natural and cultural heritage, including Fyodor Borovoy, Irina Karnauhova, Marina Shapovalova, Svetlana Ryzhkov, Bozena Matt, and Victor Kazhuro.

As noted by Ms Khvir, the exhibition was opened by representatives of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic Belarus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Minsk City Executive Committee, and the Council of Europe Information Point in Minsk. The opening day also welcomed various diplomats, heads of educational institutions, culture and science, representatives of the Orthodox and the Catholic Church.

On the occasion of the event, Minister of Culture of Belarus Boris, Vladimirovich Svetlov, welcomed this year’s theme with a note on its importance:

"The tradition of European Heritage Days in Belarus allowed to represent interesting projects, through which, the Belarusian citizens and foreign guests again could see how magnificent and rich heritage of our country.

The theme of the European Heritage Days 2017 is very important - "Heritage and Nature.”

Belarusian nature has been and still remains the main instigator of human creativity, which manifests itself in the legendary achievements of the Belarusian culture. Heritage palaces and parks, sacred springs, powerful boulders, scenic rivers and lakes, flora and fauna - our national treasure that we must preserve and pass on to future generations.

This year, as a part of the European Heritage Days, in the heart of the city - at the art gallery "University of Culture" of the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, which is located in the Palace of the Republic of Belarus - was developed an interesting and vivid exposition, reflecting the richness, diversity and beauty of the Belarusian nature and the greatness of our historical and cultural heritage. This exhibition presents works by outstanding Belarusian photographers, who handed them their love and respect for our country and have enriched the content of the exhibition, have added to each portrait a poetry and symbolism. I am confident that the conduct of these projects will make a great contribution to the preservation, conservation and promotion of our natural and cultural heritage.”

The inspiring speech of Mr. Vladimirovich Svetlov creatively summarized the values this year’s European Heritage Days in Belarus presented. Organised with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus and under the auspices of the Council of Europe, the event truly offered a new perspective on spaces that surround us, that provide inspiration, energy, and piece.