January 16th. In 1905, Belarusian writer Ales Palchevsky was born in the village of Prusinovo (Minsk District). He worked at Zorka (Star) newspaper and at Vyaselka magazine, before becoming editor for the BSSR State Publishing House.
January 17th. In 1964, Belarusian writer Andrey Fedorenko was born.
January 18th. In 1882, architect Iosif Langbard was born. An Honoured Figure of Arts of Belarus, he was among the founders of Soviet architecture.
January 19th. In 1945, People’s Artiste of Belarus and Russia Alexander Dedik was born in Tashkent. From 1974-1979, he sang as a soloist for the State Opera and Ballet Theatre.
January 20th. In 1905, Yan Petrovsky was born in Slutsk — a Belarusian religious figure, literary writer and linguist.
January 21st. In 1930, Vladimir Shelikhin was born — a Belarusian concert performer, a radio and TV host and an Honoured Figure of Arts of Belarus.
January 22nd. In 1875, Dmitry Polozov was born — a Russian and Belarusian cultural figure and artist who participated in the work of Minsk’s Society of Fine Arts.
January 16th. In 1997, Belarus’ National Centre of Chess and Draughts was established.
January 16th. In 2003, the second stage of the railway station was opened.
January 16th. In 2006, an enhanced comfort diesel train (the South-Eastern Express) began servicing the Minsk-Gomel-Minsk route.
January 17th. In 1971, the BSSR State Musical Comedy Theatre opened in Minsk (since 1999, known as the Belarusian State Musical Theatre).
January 17th. In 1999, the Museum of Folk Art — Bezdezh Apron — opened in the village of Bezdezh, in the Drogichin District. It keeps a rich collection of weaving and embroidery, from Bezdezh and neighbouring villages.
January 18th. In 1989, it was decided to erect a monument to victims of mass repression from the 1930-40s, in Kuropaty (near Minsk).
January 19th. In 1962, the Belarusian Society of Nature Protection was founded.
January 19th. In 2006, Minsker Yekaterina Domankova won the Supermodel of the World Pageant, in New York.
January 19th. In 2005, the first international professional squash tournament was held.
January 20th. In 1569, Disna — a modern town in the Miory District — received the Magdeburg Right and a coat of arms: a ship in full sail against a blue background.
January 20th. In 1919, the Belarusian State Museum opened in Minsk.
January 20th. In 1965, the first Belarusian Palace of Marriages opened in Minsk’s Kommunisticheskaya Street.
January 20th. In 1992, Belarus established diplomatic relations with China.
January 20th. In 1993, Belarus established diplomatic relations with Macedonia.
January 21st. In 1939, the BSSR State Picture Gallery was established — known as the State Art Museum since 1957 and the National Art Museum of Belarus since 1993.
January 21st. In 1992, the Belarusian State Institute of National Economics was reorganised as the Belarusian State Economic University.
January 21st. In 1992, it was decided to open the International Higher Radio-ecology College (named after A. Sakharov) at the Belarusian State University.
January 21st. In 2001, a star was laid on Moscow’s ‘Star Avenue’ to honour the head of the Belarusian State Pesnyary Ensemble: People’s Artiste of Belarus and the USSR Vladimir Mulyavin.
January 22nd. In 1796, Empress Yekaterina II’s decree awarded Minsk’s historical emblem.
January 22nd. In 1991, Minsk’s Aviation-Technical College of Civil Aviation was renamed as Minsk’s Aviation-Technical College.
