Russians and Belarusians celebrate the holiday of unity for the 23rd time

Very soon April 2, and with it a wonderful holiday, which we will celebrate for the 23rd time - the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia.

On this day in 1996, the presidents of our two countries signed the Treaty on the Formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus, and exactly a year later - the Treaty on the Union of Belarus and Russia. In 1999, the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State followed, which opened the doors wide for the development of economic and cultural ties between our peoples.

Today, festive events will be held in the two capitals, as well as in large and small towns of Belarus and Russia, in city squares, in concert halls, universities and schools, and in public organizations. For example, in the Samara region, a competition-festival of children's and youth art "Unity", prepared by the public organization "Russian-Belarusian Brotherhood 2000", will be dedicated to the holiday. The “Pesnyary” concert will be held in Kazan, and in Novocherkassk, on the initiative of the Belarusian diaspora, the international festival “Commonwealth of Talents” will take place...

The ceremonial meeting will take place in Minsk - at the Palace of the Republic. And in Moscow - in the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army. Scientists, industrial workers, military personnel, veterans, and youth are invited. The national anthems of the two countries and festive greetings to the people of Belarus and Russia from the leaders of our countries will be played.

State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota will hold Unity Day in the Belarusian capital this year. On the morning of April 2, he, together with the head of the “House of National Literatures” Timerbulat Karimov in Minsk at the Maxim Bogdanovich Museum, will hand over to the Belarusian side high-quality copies of 314 letters from the correspondence of Adam Bogdanovich and Maxim Gorky, as well as members of their families, stored in the archives of the Russian Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences. . A.M. Gorky. (Read more about this on page 4). The ceremony will be attended by the Minister of Information of Belarus Alexander Karlyukevich, the Minister of Culture Yuri Bondar, the director of the IMLI RAS Vadim Polonsky... Then there will be a large press conference with the participation of Russian journalists who will gather in the premises of the Permanent Committee of the Union State in Moscow and will be able to ask their questions online questions.

And on Friday, March 30, a meeting of Belarusian and Russian writers was held in Minsk, also dedicated to the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia. At it, the Writers' Union of Belarus presented the latest issue of the magazine of the Writers' Union of the Union State "Belaya Vezha".

Day of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and Belarus: where to go and what to see

Belarus and Russia celebrate the Day of Unity of Nations on April 2. On this day in 1996, the presidents of Russia and Belarus signed the agreement “On the Formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus” in Moscow, which marked the beginning of the creation of the Union State. Compared to 1996, the volume of foreign trade with Russia increased 5 times and amounted to $32.4 billion in 2017 compared to $6.5 billion in 1996.

The main celebrations will take place in Minsk and Moscow. But events are also planned in other cities of the Union State with the participation of heads of government bodies and Belarusian communities, political and public figures. Star-studded concerts will be held at the best pop and theater venues in the cities.

MOSCOW

WHERE: Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army (Suvorovskaya Sq., 2)
WHEN: April 2, 19.00

The evening will begin with a formal part. Two anthems of Russia and Belarus will be played, and congratulations from the presidents of the two countries will also be read. Then the musical group "Phonograph-Sympho-Jazz" under the direction of Sergei Zhilin and the artists invited by him - Vladimir Presnyakov, Leonid Agutin and participants in the television project "Voice" and "Voice. Children" - will perform before the Moscow audience.

SAINT PETERSBURG

WHERE: State Academic Chapel of St. Petersburg (Moika River Embankment, 20)

A festive concert will take place in the large hall of the chapel. The program includes performances by a choir and a symphony orchestra conducted by Vladislav Chernushenko. The famous works “Time, Forward!” will be performed. Sviridov, Dunaevsky's marches, songs for the films "Blizzard" and "Ordinary Miracle", as well as Russian folk songs.

YAROSLAVL

WHERE: Palace of Culture named after. Dobrynina (Lenin Avenue, 24-a)

A documentary and art exhibition “The Genius of the Belarusian Land”, dedicated to the life and work of Maxim Bogdanovich, will open at the House of Culture. The exhibition is provided by the State Museum of the History of Belarusian Literature in Minsk. Photographs and letters, books and autographs of the late 19th - early 20th centuries.

A third of Bogdanovich’s life was spent in Yaroslavl. Here he wrote his most famous and heartfelt poems, prepared his only lifetime collection of poems “Vyanok” for publication, graduated from the Yaroslavl Men’s Gymnasium and the Demidov Legal Lyceum, and met his muse, Anna Kokueva.

TOLYATTI

WHERE: Palace of Culture, Art and Creativity (Yubileinaya St., 8)

A festive concert “If you are in my heart, Russia, then Belarus is in my heart” will take place in the Tolyatti Palace of Culture. Songs will be performed by two ensembles of the Belarusian national-cultural autonomy "Nyoman". The Belarusian song groups “Kupalinka” and “Zorachki” will introduce Tolyatti residents to a new repertoire. Then the exemplary choreographic ensemble "Lyceum", the folk group of modern pop dance ballet "Creative" and the group from the children's art school "Harmony" will light up the hall with dances. An exhibition of folk art will open in the foyer of the Palace of Culture.

VOLGOGRAD

WHERE: Palace of Culture named after Gagarin (Pelshe St., 3)

The evening for the Unity Day holiday will be held at the Gagarin Palace of Culture. Artistic groups from Volgograd and the Volgograd region will perform: the Kupalinka ensemble and the Belarusian folk song ensemble Zaryanka.

ROSTOV-ON-DON

WHERE: Palace of Culture Rostselmash (Selmash St., 3)

In the morning, a festive exhibition of Belarusian folk art, as well as children's drawings, crafts, and paintings will open in the foyer of the Palace of Culture. The gala evening will begin with welcoming remarks and speeches by officials. Will continue with a concert. Local national cultural autonomy will be represented by Belarusians from Taganrog: the children's group "Menniya Zorachki" and the adult group "Lastauka". The ensemble "Free Don" will perform on the Russian side.

BELARUS

MINSK

WHERE: Palace of the Republic (Oktyabrskaya St., 1), Palace of Culture of the Minsk Tractor Plant (Dolgobrodskaya St., 2)

The main capital celebration will take place at the Palace of the Republic. Grigory Rapota, Secretary of State of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, will speak at the official part. The Belarusian Presidential Orchestra and the Russian Kuban Cossack Choir from the Krasnodar Territory will take the stage. More than a hundred artists will simultaneously perform their most famous compositions: “My Black-Browed Girl,” “A Cossack Jumped Through the Valley,” “The Fire Is Burning Beyond the Kuban” and others. Starts at 19.00.

At the same time, the “Day of Unity” concert will be held at the MTZ Palace of Culture. The program includes the Academic Northern Russian Choir from Arkhangelsk, Lithuanian pop prima donna Birute Petrikite, the Belarusian Cossack song ensemble “Mama Likes” and the folk song and dance group “Igritsa”. Starts at 18.00.

GRODNO

WHERE: Grodno Regional Drama Theater (Mostovaya St., 35)

In the morning, a charity fair of artisans and folk art masters will take place on Sovetskaya Square in Grodno. Guests will enjoy master classes on painting Easter eggs and making willows. Passers-by will be treated to baked goods prepared according to old recipes. After lunch at the drama theater there is a festive concert. Among the artists: the Belarusian song ensemble “Zhuravinka”, musical groups “Nadezhda” and “Kakhanachka”. "Union" program: folk songs and dances of both countries.

GOMEL

WHERE: Library-branch No. 10 named after Dragunsky (Timofeenko St., 12)

Do you recite the poems of Pushkin and Tyutchev by heart or quote Bogdanovich and Kupala? Then, on the eve of the holiday, feel free to go to the library. The city reading room named after Viktor Dragunsky, together with the St. Petersburg library “Treasure Island”, is launching a marathon for reading the poetry of Russian and Belarusian classics. Anyone can read a poem on camera. On April 2, the videos will be published on social networks.

MOGILEV

WHERE: Concert Hall "Mogilev" (Pervomaiskaya St., 10)

This year the city above the Dnieper became the youth capital of Belarus. Therefore, on Unity Day, professional and amateur music and dance youth groups will gather at the Mogilev Concert Hall. Among the artists: musicians of the Mogilev city chapel, students of children's music schools and art colleges. Artists are also expected from the Russian region - neighboring Bryansk.

Even on this day, an exhibition of Russian-Belarusian publications dedicated to the history of our countries will be open all day in the city library (on Pervomaiskaya Street).

BREST

WHERE: Social and cultural center (Kommunisticheskaya St., 1)

The Brest Fortress for Russia and Belarus is a common symbol of resistance and struggle against the German invaders during the Second World War. On Unity Day, the main milestones of the unifying history will be remembered at a solemn meeting at the Social and Cultural Center. Later, a music concert dedicated to the holiday will begin, with local artists performing. Starts at 16.00.

On April 3, the Russian Cossack ensemble "Cossack Kuren" will come to the city with the musical program "For Faith and Fatherland." They will sing songs dedicated to the heroes: “I saw off the hero”, “Like across the Don, across the river”, the male romance “Not for me”, “When we were at war”, “From the green garden, the garden of Stalingrad”, “Star” . A surprise for the audience will be the performance of “Kundubochka” - a tempo musical miniature medley set to the melody of Cossack songs. Starts at 17.00.

To develop humanity and maintain progress, it is necessary to build friendly relationships between states and peoples. The Good Neighborhood Policy excludes wars, confrontations and conflicts. It allows us to combine efforts to solve a number of important problems in the field of health, security, economics, and science. To create conditions and spread ideas that contribute to the unification of nations, a holiday was established.

When it passes

The Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia is celebrated on April 2, 2020. The holiday is not widely popular.

Who celebrates

Politicians, diplomats, state officials, government representatives, and people related to the establishment of independence of countries take part in the celebrations. Activists of charitable and public organizations join the events.

History and traditions of the holiday

The holiday begins with the signing in Moscow of the agreement “On the formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus” on April 2, 1996 by the presidents of Russia and Belarus: Boris Yeltsin and Alexander Lukashenko. In honor of the significant event, ceremonial events were organized. Their goal is to promote the ideas of uniting the peoples of the two states.

On this day, representatives of Russia and Belarus exchange congratulations. Meetings, conferences, educational lectures, and events are held. Festive concerts are organized. High-ranking officials make presentations on pressing issues. Awards are given to figures who have made a significant contribution to the development of international relations. The media broadcast programs about the history of the development of states.

The Treaty on the Formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus has 19 articles. The Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus decided on a voluntary basis to create an integrated political and economic structure. It was formed to strengthen the material and intellectual potential and improve the living standards of peoples. The association is based on the principles of sovereignty, equality, democracy, and international law.

The rulers of Ukraine were skeptical about the union and refused to participate.

The declared values ​​of the unity of nations exist only on paper. Relations are overshadowed by economic confrontations and the desire to control sales markets and the production of goods. Despite the conflicts, cooperation in the military sphere continues. Russian military bases and radar points are located on the territory of Belarus.

On December 9, 2014, the Customs Committee of the Republic of Belarus restored the state border between the countries and carries out control and inspection of cargo delivered from the Russian Federation.

Putin spoke about the successes of integration of Russia and Belarus

Vladimir Putin sent a greeting message to the participants of the ceremonial meetings on the occasion of a common holiday - the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and Belarus. This was reported by the Kremlin press service.

For more than two decades, Russians and Belarusians have been confidently following the path of integration,” the president emphasized. “During this time, we have managed to do a lot,” he assessed. “The level of trade, economic, scientific, technical and humanitarian cooperation, interaction in the field of security has been qualitatively increased, and consistent work is being carried out to harmonize national legislation in the most important areas.”

The head of state noted a meaningful dialogue between all branches of government, active contacts at the regional and city levels, and direct ties between the business circles of the two countries. Citizens of Russia and Belarus are guaranteed equal rights in employment, education, medical and social assistance.

Putin called coordination of foreign policy activities one of the most important areas of allied relations. “Russia and Belarus cooperate in resolving pressing issues on the regional and global agenda, and cooperate closely within the framework of the UN, OSCE and other international structures,” he noted.

The President is confident that building up mutually beneficial ties in the format of the Union State meets the fundamental interests of the fraternal peoples and “goes in line with strengthening stability and security in the Eurasian space.”

Let us remind you that on Monday negotiations between the leaders of Russia and Belarus will be held in St. Petersburg. Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko have not yet held official meetings this year.

Alexander Lukashenko congratulated Russians and Belarusians on Unity Day

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko addressed the citizens of Russia and Belarus on the occasion of the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia. He emphasized that 2017 is the beginning of the “third decade of union building” and the 25th anniversary of “the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries.” Mr. Lukashenko urged not to take existing achievements for granted and to overcome difficulties through joint efforts.

“A high level of trust allows us to closely cooperate in the field of foreign policy and security. In a relatively short period of time, the union project has revealed enormous creative potential for the further development of the economies of Belarus and Russia. However, the scale of achievements should not be taken for granted. Various strength tests reveal their fragility,” the Belarusian leader emphasized. Alexander Lukashenko also added that in accordance with the requirements of the time, it is necessary to focus on knowledge-intensive and high technologies that can give impetus to bilateral economic development. “I am convinced that people’s desire for joint creation, which comes from life, will be successfully realized. I sincerely congratulate you on the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia!” - said Mr. Lukashenko.

In a separate letter, he congratulated Russian President Vladimir Putin. In it, Alexander Lukashenko expressed confidence that through joint efforts the parties will continue to build the union and develop integration processes on the principles of equality and mutual trust. “This is exactly what millions of citizens of Belarus and Russia expect from us,” he noted.

The peoples of Russia and Belarus are connected by strong ties of Slavic traditions, a significant commonality of culture and spirituality. Their strong friendship and long-term mutually beneficial cooperation are based on this. On April 2, 1996, Russian President B. Yeltsin and Belarusian President A. Lukashenko signed an important historical document - the Treaty “On the Formation of the Community of Russia and Belarus.” A year later, the Treaty “On the Union of Belarus and Russia” was dated on the same day. Today, April 2, is officially the Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia. The two states organize large-scale joint projects, closely and very fruitfully cooperate in the field of foreign policy, in various sectors of the national economy, science and education.

The annual celebration of Unity Day in both countries is accompanied by various official and ceremonial events.

There are two great countries:
They are like two sisters.
Russia, with it Belarus -
I am proud of this friendship!

United by our history,
You are invincible to your enemies,
Let there be peace between you,
Let people be happy!

Today there is such a holiday -
Day of Unity of Nations,
So as not to break the connection of centuries,
Let the friendship grow stronger year by year.

We were frightened by various troubles,
But we'll be together, no matter what.
We all have one Victory.
There is simply no other option.

Russians and Belarusians are brothers,
Everyone has known for a long time
Become a big and friendly family
We are destined forever.

May the nations prosper
May friendship grow stronger between us,
May it never be interrupted
This age-old connection.

Happy Unity Day,
Today I congratulate everyone.
And Belarus and Russia,
I wish you a fabulous life.

Invincible, together we are strong,
And let everyone around you be afraid.
We will come to each other's aid,
If you need it suddenly!

Russians and Belarusians
Very close peoples
Our brotherhood and unity
Years confirm friendship
We congratulate you today
Residents of these two countries
Let the friendship continue
Brothers, related Slavs!

May the Slavic brothers live in peace,
Hurray for you Belarusians, hurray for you Russians!
The unity of peoples is a holiday for all of us,
And for unbreakable friendship, the desired hour has come!
Belarus is Russia's sister, and let it always be so,
We will never allow our brotherhood to be destroyed!

We have a common Slavic history,
Family roots connected us,
We are celebrating our common holiday now -
We wish each other happiness and goodness.

Let there be more glorious, good deeds,
Let the friendly union only grow stronger,
And so that no one dares to quarrel us,
We are two sisters - Russia Belarus!

Belarusians, Russians -
We are all brothers and Slavs,
We will always be friends
After all, there is no need for strife.
It's more fun for us to be together
We will be stronger because of it
Every enemy will be afraid
There's no way they can defeat us!
Unity day is important
We will prove the power of friendship.
Congratulations on this day,
So let's sing!

Russia and Belarus are fraternal peoples,
And we have no doubt about this!
We have been in the union not for a year, but for years:
After all, we are close in spirit, and this is our secret!

We wish to achieve as many goals as possible,
And move forward together every day!
Let everything that you have long wanted come true,
May our friendship last for many more years!

The unity of two beautiful powers,
We glorify Russia, Belarus,
I wish the residents happiness
And let the friendship be strong.

You are good brothers forever,
Let this thread not be broken,
Only in understanding, respect
I wish you guys to live.

Congratulations: 46 in verse.

The holiday was established in December 2004 on the initiative of the Interreligious Council of Russia, consisting of leaders of the country's traditional faiths, as a national holiday uniting all the peoples of Russia.

This new national holiday was first celebrated on November 4, 2005, but its history begins much earlier - several centuries ago.

Story

The date of the holiday was not chosen by chance - historically, National Unity Day is associated with distant events of the early 17th century, when in 1612 Moscow was finally liberated from Polish invaders.

At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, a series of tragic circumstances occurred in Russia, and this era went down in history as the Time of Troubles. Historians believe that the immediate cause of the Troubles was the end of the Rurik dynasty. The situation was also complicated by the extremely unfavorable internal economic situation and foreign invasion.

At the call of His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes, who died at the hands of the Poles for his loyalty to Orthodoxy and canonized saints, the Russian people stood up in defense of their homeland.

The first militia was led by the Ryazan governor Prokopiy Lyapunov. But due to infighting between the nobles and the Cossacks, who killed the governor on false charges, the militia disintegrated.

Then in September 1611 in Nizhny Novgorod, the zemstvo elder Kuzma Minin appealed to people to raise funds and create a militia to liberate the country. The population of the city was subject to a special tax for organizing the militia. At Minin’s suggestion, Novgorod Prince Dmitry Pozharsky was invited to the post of chief governor.

© photo: Sputnik / Sergey Pyatakov

Monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow

Letters were sent from Novgorod to other cities calling for the collection of the militia. In addition to the townspeople and peasants, small and medium-sized nobles also gathered there. The main forces of the militia were formed in the cities and counties of the Volga region.

The program of the people's militia consisted of liberating Moscow from interventionists, refusing to recognize sovereigns of foreign origin on the Russian throne (which was the goal of the boyar nobility, who invited the Polish prince Vladislav to the kingdom), as well as the creation of a new government.

For that time, a huge army gathered under the banners of Minin and Pozharsky, which in March 1612 set out from Nizhny Novgorod and headed to Yaroslavl, where a temporary “Council of the Whole Earth” was created - a government body in which the main role was played by townspeople and representatives of the minor service nobility .

Representatives of all classes and all peoples that make up the Russian state took part in the national militia to liberate the Russian land from foreign invaders.

With a copy of the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God, revealed in 1579, the Nizhny Novgorod zemstvo militia managed to take Kitay-Gorod by storm on November 4, 1612 and expel the Poles from Moscow.

This victory served as a powerful impetus for the revival of the Russian state. And the icon became the subject of special veneration.

© photo: Sputnik / Maxim Bogodvid

At the end of February 1613, the Zemsky Sobor, which included representatives of all classes of the country - the nobility, boyars, clergy, Cossacks, archers, black-growing peasants and delegates from many Russian cities, elected Mikhail Romanov, the first Russian Tsar from the Romanov dynasty, as Tsar.

The Zemsky Sobor of 1613 became the final victory over the Troubles, the triumph of Orthodoxy and national unity.

The confidence that it was thanks to the icon of the Kazan Mother of God that the victory was won was so deep that Prince Pozharsky, with his own money, specially built the Kazan Cathedral on the edge of Red Square.

In 1649, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the obligatory celebration of November 4 was established as a day of gratitude to the Blessed Virgin Mary for her help in liberating Russia from the Poles. The holiday was celebrated in Russia until the 1917 Revolution.

This day was included in the church calendar as the Celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in memory of the deliverance of Moscow and Russia from the Poles in 1612.

Thus, National Unity Day is essentially not a new holiday at all, but a return to an old tradition.

© photo: Sputnik / RIA Novosti

The essence of the holiday

This holiday no longer symbolizes victory, but the unity of the people, which made the defeat of the interventionists possible.

The holiday calls on people not only to remember the most important historical events, but also to remind the citizens of a multinational country about the importance of unity. It also serves as a reminder that only together can we cope with difficulties and overcome obstacles.

Representatives of 195 peoples and nationalities living on the territory of Russia belong to dozens of religious movements.

The main goal of the holiday, both pre-revolutionary and now, comes down to the unity of people of different religions, origins and status to achieve a common goal - stable civil peace, as well as respect for the patriotism and courage that was shown by the liberators of Moscow.

National Unity Day is an occasion for all citizens of the country to realize and feel like one people.

© photo: Sputnik / Anton Denisov

How to celebrate

The first Day of National Unity was solemnly celebrated in 2005 - Nizhny Novgorod became the main center of the festive events. The main event of the holiday was the opening of the monument to Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky.

This year they plan to celebrate National Unity Day as magnificently as in previous years. The most grandiose events are planned in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod, where the militia of Minin and Pozharsky originated.

A large, multimillion-dollar procession through the city and laying flowers at the memorial to Minin and Pozharsky are planned.

On National Unity Day, patriotic celebrations, processions, celebrations, fairs, exhibitions, and so on are held. All major parks in Moscow have prepared a large entertainment program for National Unity Day.

The Kremlin will host a ceremony to present the Presidential Prize for strengthening the unity of the Russian nation and the “We are United” concert.

Solemn concerts, fireworks, and mass festivities will be held throughout the country.

© photo: Sputnik / Said Tsarnaev

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.