Beginning and Continuation

Time runs forward, and the calendar of our changing environment accompanies our personal lives. And then comes January, the beginning of the year. It seems to sound trivial and hardly surprising. But any beginning is not only a driving force of new expectations, but also a logical continuation of the things that we have already started. The things that are worth continuing.

This is simple philosophy, but it permeates our everyday life and fits our life patterns. Our authors can’t help but notice it in their articles: they show the connection between time and action.

Here come the facts: Minsk started building two new residential districts. City developers promise these districts will be among the best in the capital city, and it will take us just a couple of years to check whether they are right. The first houses will appear on two bare spots in Minsk as early as this year, which seems to be great news for those who wish to move here to improve their living conditions. By the way, Moscow builders will take part in residential construction in Minsk for the first time ever.

We are talking about the truly significant developments and their consequences. Last year Belarus completed a unique architectural project that is essential for the whole nation — the new building of the National Library. This architectural masterpiece is sui generis, and offers cutting-edge technologies and all facilities a modern reader requires. More than 25,000 readers have already been registered in the National Library. A most important thing, according to our author, is that the National Library caters for incapacitated people that may enjoy the facilities of the largest library of the country using special ramps and elevators. Hearing-impaired people have also been granted an opportunity to use the facilities of the library, and sight-impaired Belarusians will soon be able to “read” using “audio books”. As we see, modern technologies mean accessibility and convenience for all.

Many new things are coming into our lives. One of our authors mentions a boom in bank infrastructure. People tend to opt for cashless payments, which certainly changes the psychological foundations for the “cash-minded” individuals. This process will take much time, and no drastic changes are expected. The author forecasts the number of plastic bankcards in circulation to increase to eight million by 2010. The payment instrument will change its identity, and we may face this transformation within a year.

We normally look at things in their development. We tend to look forward trying hard to see what will happen. But what about the past? Studying what we were helps understand what we are and what we will be. Read “Gene Historians Quest for Ancestors of the Belarusian Nation” to learn more about the latest discoveries of geneticists. Many of us fail to trace our own genealogical trees beyond grandmas and grandpas, although we are extremely interested in the roots. Geneticists can help us pick the lock of many millennia.

Minsk scientists have decided to find out what the ancestor of the Belarusians looked like. The National Academy of Sciences spares no effort in its genetic and historical endeavor, our author believes. Researches may be ready with their answer about the forefather of the Belarusians by the end of this year. They are in a hurry, as it is crucial to know your lineage to carry on with your life. As we all know, any continuation is always based on a beginning.

Viktor Kharkov
Editor of “Беларусь.Belarus”