By Vera Gromova
The nightingale is a natural symbol of the Slutsk District, as adopted by the Slutsk District Council of Deputies, supervised by the Slutsk Ecological-Biological Centre of Pupils. The latter are collecting encyclopaedic data on the bird, alongside literary works devoted to the nightingale, while making decorative-and-applied artworks: postcards, hand-sewn goods, figurines and pictures. A library of nightingale song is planned, in addition to records of songs about these birds; moreover, an edition entitled Family Names of Nightingale Families is to be published, featuring photos, family stories and archives.
The Chairman of the district branch of APB-Birdlife Belarus Association, Natalia Buryachenko, tells us that a museum room already operates at the Centre, devoted to the Slutsk District’s natural symbol. It showcases several exhibits dedicated to the nightingale: hand-made items, drawings, figurines and literary works.
In 2007, Slutsk received the status of a nightingale city, as a result of the Nightingale — Bird of the Year national campaign, organised by APB-Birdlife Belarus. According to Ms. Buryachenko, in 2011, the city and the district registered over 500 nightingales (one bird per 6 hectares, which is a good figure).
The Centre plans to address heads of city enterprises, asking them to use the ‘Slutsk Nightingale’ slogan on their products. Meanwhile, local ecologists are to name a street in Slutsk’s Novodvortsy suburb after the bird: Solovyinaya.