Posted: 22.01.2025 16:21:02

Time of our spirituality

Over the years of independence, Belarus has managed to preserve and enhance its historical and cultural heritage

The preservation and enhancement of national culture and spiritual heritage are vital factors in the development of our state. President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko pays close attention to this area. A striking example of the implementation of state policy is the adoption and execution of several state programmes, such as Culture of Belarus, Castles of Belarus, and Slutsk Sashes. The journalists have learnt more about the preservation and enhancement of historical and cultural heritage during the press tour Formation and Development of Culture in Independent Belarus.

Presidential Library's document storage facilities cover area of 3,000+ square metres

                                     The President of Belarus, 
                                  Aleksandr Lukashenko,

“We will preserve and enhance the material and spiritual legacy of generations, passing on to our descendants a sovereign and independent state, our common home, where they will always feel safe and comfortable. This is our path! And truth — which underpins strength — is on our side!” 

From the Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly by the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko,
on January 28th, 2022

Large-scale projects

Over the years of Belarus’ independence, we have managed to preserve numerous historical and cultural sites in the country. For instance, restoration work has been carried out in the Nesvizh National Historical and Cultural Reserve, the Mir Castle Complex, the Lida Castle, and the Old Castle in Grodno. The ruins of castles in Novogrudok and Krevo, Golshany and Bykhov, as well as in other Belarusian towns and urban settlements, have also been earmarked for reconstruction. Churches, town halls, palaces, and theatres have been restored. A programme for the renovation and technical re-equipment of state theatres has been developed. Additionally, the reconstruction and restoration of the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre has been completed.  
The State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History has been opened, and the National Art Museum has been revamped. Plans are in place for the construction of a modern national historical museum.  
In 2002, President Aleksandr Lukashenko initiated the construction of a new building for the National Library. The grand opening took place a little over three years later. In 2008, a decision was made at the level of the Head of State to renovate and modernise the building at 43 Kirov Street (now 38 Karl Marx Street), where the main collection of the Presidential Library was to be relocated.  
Sergei Kvachan with Zhanna Krupen, Head
of Document Storage Department
The problem of space shortages had already emerged by the early 1980s, as noted by Sergei Kvachan, Director of the Presidential Library, “This issue began to be worked out in the early 1990s, but the USSR collapse and the lack of financial resources of the young republic did not allow it to be implemented. At that time, five unsuitable rooms in various parts of Minsk and in the basements of the Government House were used to store the collection. It was necessary to carry out construction and installation work, redevelop the premises, lay engineering communications, and install equipment. The library’s staff faced the difficult task of moving more than one million documents.”
As a result, the library now has a cosy reading room, and its main document storage facility covers an area of more than three thousand square metres. Its modern engineering equipment ensures optimal conditions for preservation of the documents. In 2012, the Head of State visited the library, got acquainted with its activities and instructed to open it for everyone.

Temple of printed word  

Tatiana Lychagina shows one of the publications
gifted to the President

The Presidential Library is, without exaggeration, a true sanctuary of the printed word. Anyone can register in it to become a member. There are 16,000 readers there, while the reader’s ticket No. 1 belongs to the Head of State, Aleksandr Lukashenko.  
“We have visitors from various countries,” shared Tatiana Lychagina, Head of User Services Department at the residence of the President of Belarus and the CIS Executive Committee. “Recently, we had visitors from Africa — young people from Senegal and Congo. They read Pushkin’s poems and talked about their homeland.”  
The collections at the Presidential Library are vast, and if a particular publication cannot be found, the interlibrary loan system — which includes the National Library and regional libraries of Belarus — will come to the rescue.  
The books gifted to Aleksandr Lukashenko by political, social, and cultural figures from friendly nations are impressive: their value is enhanced by autographs and dedications. The Head of State has also donated over 160 copies from his personal collection to the Presidential Library.  
The document storage facility houses more than one million items, including 500+ titles of newspapers and 19,000 back issues from 1946 to 2020. The most popular ones are being digitised. The collection of rare and antique publications includes rarities from the late 18th century to 1945. All of these items arrived there after the war, with many returned from German captivity. Some copies bear the stamps of German libraries. The Nazis wanted to know everything about our territory, population, and resources in order to conquer the country. Therefore, they were interested in thematic literature.
“The Presidential Library houses the richest collections of newspapers,” recounted Alla Pendo, Deputy Director for Core Activities at the Presidential Library. “Staff members asked the residents of Minsk to share their collections, and also travelled to other republics of the Soviet Union that were not under occupation and had preserved their stocks. All major libraries in the Soviet Union republics received a mandatory copy of publications, including Belarusian ones.”
The collections include regional newspapers that have practically disappeared from the territory of the country. They are digitised there and generously donated to regional libraries to help them restore their history. The repository is replenished with rarities every day, through various means. For instance, valuable new items arrive from second-hand bookstores, and devoted friends of the library bring folios even from the USA.

Some exhibits from Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood. Anyone who visits there will surely be amazed!

History of our independence  

Anyone who visits there will surely be delighted! The exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood reflect the formation and achievements of Belarus in various fields: economy, science, agriculture, and culture. Among the unique exhibits are gifts to the President of Belarus from foreign delegations.  
In front of us are models of architectural monuments built or reconstructed during the years of independence — the Mir and Nesvizh castles, the Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace, the House of Mercy, the Church of All Saints, the Minsk City Hall, the Bolshoi Theatre, and Minsk Arena... Next, we explore documents and video materials from the period of modern Belarus’ formation, state symbols, state awards, banknotes, and coins from the National Bank.  
We can clearly see the results of the country’s socio-economic development: the exhibition features samples of raw materials and products from domestic mining and oil refining enterprises, models of our vehicles, a model of the first Belarusian satellite, a replica of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, medical developments, and elite seeds bred by Belarusian scientists.  
Separate halls are dedicated to the development of culture and sports, as well as ethno-confessional relations and international connections.  
The Museum of Contemporary Belarusian Statehood makes you feel proud of your country and its achievements, of the successes of our people who are on the right path to preserving and enhancing our spiritual and material heritage.  

By Yelena Basikirskaya

Photos by Alisa Drugakova