Lukashenko: The people's strive for friendship and peace will overcome any obstacles

Slavianski Bazaar Festival has started in Vitebsk. The opening of the XXXI International Festival of Arts (and it is already a nice tradition) was also attended by the President of Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko attended the opening ceremony and addressed the audience at the Vitebsk Amphitheater. 

Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus:

A centuries-long history of the unique Slavianski culture, which has enriched the world with its extraordinary spirituality, depth and beauty, resounds in these applauses. These sounds again, as in all previous years, have found a live response in the hearts of people who have come to Belarus, despite the distance and, unfortunately, certain barriers. And this is the evidence that art is eternal. And the aspiration of the people for friendship and peace overcomes and will overcome any obstacle. Moreover, in today's crazy, dumbfounded world, which abolishes culture and languages, splits people on national and other grounds, our festival has become almost the only spring of life, a source of creativity and new achievements. Our motto "Through Art to Peace and Mutual Understanding" is more relevant than ever. But when we were creating this forum, we could never have imagined that the Slavic world, powerful by its thousand-year history, would be placed in the condition of political and cultural survival and that simple human values, which are so important in relations between countries and peoples, would be lost. We could not even imagine that our friendly Yugoslavia would disappear from the political map, that the post-Soviet space would sink into a series of armed conflicts, and that the NATO alliance would expand eastward, scattering the Slavs, as it turned out, on different sides of the barricades. But the most crushing blow was dealt eight years ago. It was at the heart of the Slavic world - the Belarusian-Russian-Ukrainian brotherhood.  We lost Ukraine long before the special operation began. Back then, when its politicians themselves gave up their Slavic identity, when we miraculously managed to bring Ukrainians to the scene. Even those who have long lived in other countries. But no matter what it took, the Ukrainian language was and will be heard at the opening of Slavonic Bazaar, including today. It will always be heard here. 

On July 14, Alexander Lukashenko presented a special presidential award "Through Art to Peace and Mutual Understanding. Nowadays these words sound in a special way. People's Artist of Belarus Anatoly Yarmolenko was bestowed this high honor. On July 14, his star was lit up on the festival's Walk of Stars. The gala concert continues right now. However, you can see all the most interesting moments yourself: the opening ceremony of the Slavianski Bazaar will be broadcasted by the TV channels Belarus 1 and Belarus 24 at 22:00 today.