On 30 September there have taken place celebrations by European Heritage Days in Belarus – 2016

The ceremonial opening of European Heritage Days in Belarus has taken place on 30 September in Art Gallery of Mikhail Savitsky.

«Heritage and knowledge» – the theme of European Heritage Days in Belarus 2016 chosen within a Year of culture. «The cultural heritage owns high information and educational potential.It’s a source of knowledge of the historical past, cultural properties of the country, about people who created it, and also about ourselves, their descendants, – the deputy minister of culture Alexander Yatsko has noted. – When we choose national theme to celebration to European Heritage Days, we remember their motto "Europe — Our General Heritage" and we seek to show originality the Belarusian of culture in the context of the all-European cultural space».

Have acted as organizers of an action the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus in common from Institute of Culture of Belarus with partner support of Minsk City Executive Committee, Museum of History of the City of Minsk, the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus, Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts, youth public association of «Historika», the «ICON» magazine, the creative workshop «MART», foundation «Cultural Heritage and Modernity».

The deputy minister of culture Alexander Yatsko and the first secretary of department of OSCE and the Council of Europe of reposition of the all-European cooperation of the Ministry of foreign affairs of the Republic of Belarus Oleg Golubev, the moderator of an action – the head of department of protection of historical and cultural heritage, the national project coordinator «European Heritage Days» Natalya Hvir have made a speech at a ceremonial opening from welcome speeches.

About 100 people among whom - representatives of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, the Council of Europe, the staff of cultural and educational institutions, embassies, youth associations, the general public took part in a holiday.

During the action there has taken place a number of the presentations devoted to protection of historical and cultural heritage. The Institute of Culture of Belarus has submitted the booklet «Heritage And knowledge» which includes information on the historic center of Minsk, the concept of European Heritage Days in Vitebsk and a quiz on knowledge of features of historical buildings of the capital of the country. Together with the National Historical Museum of the Republic of Belarus the photo exhibition «Cities and Towns of Minsk Regions. Urbanistic Sketches», created on the basis of the «Filokartiya» collection. The idea of a historical retrospective of the modern cities with the cities of centenary old times where it is possible to see the remained and lost heritage became feature of an exhibition. Later there has taken place the movie presentation about the Saint Pyotr-Pavlovsky's restoration a cathedral nominated for the international award «Europa Nostra» (directors Yury Igrusha and Alexey Losev, the restorer of the creative workshop «Bastilia» Fiodor Soroko). Also interesting projects were submitted by youth public association of «Historika»: the «Retro Panorama — Minsk» project competition which purpose is creation of the design sketch of visual return of the disappeared heritage of Minsk in the urban environment and the presentation of «Belarusian archive of oral history» – online of storage of electronic documents on oral history of Belarus of XX century. An official part of the program has come to the end with a performance of the founder and director of the «ICON» project Denis Arger who under the direction of and with the participation of a creative workshop of «"MART" .byICON» and foundation «Cultural Heritage and Modernity» presented the new heading «Heritage» of the ICON magazine. During the action the special atmosphere performances of pupils of Children's Music School of Arts № 8 created a name of Grigory Shirma.

After an official part of an action in the yard of art gallery there has taken place a concert with participation of musical and art collectives.