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Belarus president presents spiritual revival, culture, art, sport awards

10.01.2015

MINSK, 10 January (BelTA) – On 9 January Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko presented awards For Spiritual Revival, special awards for people of culture and art, and Belarusian Sport Olympus awards. The award ceremony took place in the Palace of the Republic, BelTA has learned.

An award For Spiritual Revival went to the staff of the National Care Home for War and Labor Veterans and the learning and practice workshops of the parish of the church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow". The President remarked: "The Belarusian nation has always strived towards a creative life based on diligence, justice, and mutual aid. Therefore, since times immemorial, we have respected people, who labor for the sake of upholding these fundamental moral principles. We award those, who have dedicated their lives to delivering mercy and aid to others".

The President stressed that enabling conditions for the self-realization of young citizens, who are ready to use their strength and skills for the benefit of the native country, was one of the key goals of the Belarusian state. "On this solemn day we pay a tribute of respect to the people, who work every day for the sake of reaching this goal. The high awards go to the national children recreation and education center Zubrenok and the Belarusian Republican Youth Union," said the head of state.

Alexander Lukashenko reminded that the year 2015 is the year of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory. "Everything possible is being done in Belarus to preserve the memory of it. We take good care of the historical truth and try to extract priceless lessons from it. Thanks to the labor and talents of cultural workers the new premises of the Great Patriotic War History Museum were commissioned last year and a new exposition in the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial was created. Today we give praise to these collectives as well," added Alexander Lukashenko.

The award ceremony also mentioned those, who raise future champions. "We would like healthy lifestyle, love of sports and active recreation to become a good tradition among people of various ages. And certainly our country should rejoice at the vivid triumphs of Belarusian professional athletes, whose lives are inseparable from top-effort sport," stressed the head of state. Alexander Lukashenko remarked that Belarus has been one of the respected sport powers for a long time. The head of state remarked that the year 2014 saw many vivid and memorable sport events. "For the first time in the history of sovereign Belarus we have hosted a world championship. Our athletes also did a good job at the Winter Olympics in Sochi," stated Alexander Lukashenko.

The President stressed that the presentation of the awards For Spiritual Revival, special awards for cultural workers and art workers, and Belarusian Sport Olympus awards confirmed the old truth that good deeds are always rewarded. The head of state thanked the awardees for their setting an example of service to the community and genuine love of their country.

After reviewing accomplishments of the year 2014 five awards For Spiritual Revival were bestowed. The awardees included the team comprising archpriest Igor Korostelev, father superior of the religious community Parish of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" of the Minsk Eparchy of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, and associate professor of the Belarusian State Pedagogical University Marina Kravtsova. Their efforts have helped creat the learning and practice workshops in the parish for the sake of social adaptation of people with serious diseases. Another For Spiritual Revival went to the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater of Belarus for highlighting national and historical traditions in the Vitaut ballet. Other awardees included the team of the National Care Home for War and Labor Veterans who have made a great contribution to the improvement of the country's social security system and the promotion of the ideas of humanity and kindness in the society. The Central Committee of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM) was awarded for its significant contribution to promoting patriotism and citizenship.

The head of state also presented ten special awards of the Belarus president to the song and dance ensemble Medunitsa of the Mogilev Oblast Philharmonic, to the TV channel STV's team of authors that comprises director of the special projects directorate Alexei Adashkin, reporter of the information broadcasting directorate Olga Makei; to the team of authors comprising employees of the Belarusian Culture, Language, and Literature Studies Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Yelena Boganeva and Tamara Varfolomeyeva, pedagogue of the supplementary education center Vetraz of Minsk's Oktyabrsky District.

Awards also went to the team of authors comprising associate professor of the Belarusian State Culture and Art University Lyudmila Domnenkova, director of the experimental art company Goodart Piotr Lobkovich, employee of the Belarusian Culture, Language, and Literature Studies Center of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Boris Lazuko. Awards also went to the staff of the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial and other workers of culture and art.

Laureates of the Belarusian Sport Olympus awards included coach of the Belarusian national athletics team Marina Arzamasova, instructor of the National Olympic Training Center for Free Calisthenics Irina Ilyenkova, athletics instructor of Minsk specialized Olympic reserve school for children and youth No. 2 of the Belarusian physical training and sports society Dynamo Natalia Shikolenko.