Days of Culture of Slovakia held in Belarus for the first time :: Charter'97 :: News

For about a week an exhibition of Slovak artists creating their works of paper is taking place in the Minsk Palace of Arts. However, it is not the only distinctive feature of the exposition which has become the first in the series of exhibitions planned in the program of the Days of Culture of Slovakia in Belarus. The main point is that the culture of Slovak Republic is presented so widely to Belarusian viewers for the first time.

Charge d`Affaires of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic to the Republic of Belarus Jozef Machishak in his speech at the opening ceremony of the exhibition, said that thanks to enlargement of the EU our countries have become neighbours, which unfortunately do not know each other well.

“Despite of the geographical proximity, after the latest EU enlargement we have become neighbours. We cannot say still that we know each other the way we should and we would like to. It is possible to change this situation, and we are to make attempts to do that. The most convenient form of communication which promotes learning and rapprochement of our peoples is the sphere of art,” Charge d`Affaires of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic told to Radio Svaboda.

An exhibition of Slovak graphic art has opened in the Museum of Modern Art, and an exhibition of Slovak paintings and sculpture is displayed in the National Arts Museum. Many other events are planned. The leader of the Belarusian Popular Front Vintsuk Vyachorka called that a real cultural breakthrough in the relations of the two countries.

“It is important for two reasons. Firstly because the Slovak Republic is a member of the EU now, and we are to overcome stereotypes imposed by propaganda claiming that cultural peculiarities of countries and nations are levelled down in the EU. Far from it.

Secondly, we are also receiving the evidence that the Slovak Republic, which had belonged to a federal state, has not lost its cultural identity by gaining independence,” Vintsuk Vyachorka said.

Besides, on November 1 the week of Central European films starts in Belarus. Slovak cinema art is to be presented, as well as the films created in cooperation with filmmakers of other countries of the Central Europe. On November 1 the Belarusian society of friendship and cultural ties with foreign countries a presentation of Slovak literature will take place. In three conversations three Slovak and three Belarusian writers with their creative works would be presented pairwise. A lecture on the background of the literatures of the two countries is to become a part of the presentation.

In general, the Days of Culture of Slovakia are to be held in our country until April 2006.