MINSK, 30 May (BelTA) – A Belarusian culture center was solemnly opened in Beijing on 30 May, representatives of the Embassy of Belarus in China told BelTA.
During the opening ceremony Belarusian Culture Minister Boris Svetlov noted that the center will work to represent and popularize the cultural legacy as well as modern culture and art of Belarus in addition to providing information about the country's public, political, and economic life.
Boris Svetlov noted that the center will assist with the advancement of Belarus-China cooperation in cultural affairs, humanitarian affairs, education, tourism, and information by expanding contacts and cooperation with creative, cultural, and educational institutions and the general public of the two countries. The center will also assist with comprehensive cooperation between government agencies, non-governmental organizations, public institutions and organizations, twin city relations, and partnership ties between cities and regions of Belarus and China.
The Belarusian culture center will host art exhibitions, concerts by Belarusian performers, national cuisine festivals, demonstrations of Belarusian documentaries, animation films and feature films. The scope of the center's work will include much more than that, stressed Boris Svetlov.
Belarus-China relations advance dynamically and constructively across the board. The successful advancement of political, trade, and economic ties is attributed to the affinity of principles of the domestic and foreign policies and the same views on topical problems in international relations. The comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has reached a new development stage and has become an example of friendly relations, said the Belarusian culture minister.
Boris Svetlov pointed out the stable ties in cultural affairs. Belarus and China exchange exhibitions, sign agreements, and arrange Belarusian and Chinese culture days. These events and many other ones help the deep bilateral cultural relations evolve. And culture unites different countries and nationalities, people of different dispositions and temperaments.
A Belarusian-Chinese agreement was signed as China President Xi Jinping visited Minsk in May 2015. The agreement provides for opening cultural centers on a mutual basis.
The Chinese culture center was solemnly opened in Minsk on 21 December 2016 in anticipation of the 25th anniversary of Belarusian-Chinese relations.
Belarus and China made another important step closer to each other in advancing cultural contacts between the two countries by opening the Belarusian culture center in Beijing on 30 May.
The Duanwu Festival (aka the Dragon Boat Festival) is in progress in China these days. A personal exhibition Belarusian Poetry's Boat During the Duanwu Festival by the Belarusian painter Marina Elyashevich was opened in anticipation of the opening of the Belarusian culture center. Boris Svetlov remarked that the exhibition is dedicated to the Chinese poet Qu Yuan, who is a symbol of the desire for freedom.
“This desire is pronounced in the freedom-loving Belarusian poetry of the 20th century. It is no accident that a boat with classic Belarusian writers and poets — Yanka Kupala, Yakub Kolas, and Maxim Bogdanovich — emerged for the first time during the traditional Chinese festival. The exhibition is a symbol of the beginning of the operation of the Belarusian culture center in Beijing. From now on the center will be a place for the most joyous friendly meetings and contacts,” the Belarusian culture minister believes.
The Belarusian culture center is located in a five-star hotel in the center of Beijing. One hall is dedicated to an information program where visitors can get familiar with Belarusian books and paintings. The second hall offers a recreation of the medieval interiors where visitors can sample national dishes.
Belarusian Culture Days are scheduled to take place in Beijing on 27-30 May. The events include Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake ballet by the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater, an exhibition of modern Belarusian drawings from the National Center for Modern Arts, and master classes by Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Painters Grigory Sitnitsa.
A Belarusian-Chinese friendship week is scheduled to take place in the city of Changchun on 26-31 May to mark 25 years of the diplomatic relations. Visitors are invited to enjoy Belarusian Cinema Days and a lecture by Belarusian Culture Minister Boris Svetlov. A presentation of Belarus' cultural potential will take place in Jilin University of Changchun.
