The Belarusian President bestowed state awards to doctors, farmers, personalities of culture and art, athletes - those who make Belarus better by their long-standing work.
Independence is our national treasure. The fact that we are a state, not an appendix, was stated only in the last century. We deserved to be Belarusians thanks to or in spite of historical cataclysms that befell our land. We became strong and flexible.
Vladimir Slobodchikov is now the People's Artist of Belarus. Slobodchikov is the author of many works that have long been embedded in the urban environment. Ballerinas at the Bolshoi Theatre, The Mother of God in Logoisk, Viliya in Vileika, Children of Peace to the Children of War in Mogilev. A professor and head of the sculpture department of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts Slobodchikov taught more than a hundred students and today he is getting ready for a personal exhibition on the occasion of his jubilee - next year the master will turn 70.
Olga Nefedova, was awarded the title of Distinguished Artiste. She was among those who stayed within the walls of her cherished Kupala Theater and withstood abuse and harassment. During her almost 30-year career, the theater was always a priority for her. And this despite her success in cinema, radio and TV.
This year has been a really difficult one: the Belarusians have passed the test of national unity for the first time and they have done it with dignity. Those who are not used to say much, but to do much turned out to be in the front line.
The year was difficult for artists, journalists, representatives of other creative professions - painters, sculptors. Above all, they were in the public eye. And those who were not in the public eye became visible also thanks to the fact that they were under harsh attacks and inslults.
