«Guardians of Heritage»: Vitebsk Honors the Best Cultural Workers
October 9, 2025
This is how culture was defined by the famous artist and thinker Nicholas Roerich. How many more epithets and beautiful words do people deserve who make our lives sublime, spiritually fulfilling, and color our weekdays with bright, joyful colors? On the eve of their professional holiday, these words were heard from the stage of the Vitebsk College of Culture and Arts, where the best workers were honored.
– I want to express my gratitude to the people who carefully preserve and multiply the heritage of our country. Culture is the basis for preserving the identity of a nation. The Vitebsk region has made a huge contribution to world culture. We are proud of the great masters who, even in the era of Euphrosyne of Polotsk, left murals on the walls of the Transfiguration Church, artists Yury Pen, Marc Chagall, Kazimir Malevich, and other art figures who glorified our land, – noted the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies Dmitry Demidov.
Speaking about the present day, the head of the region's parliamentary corps emphasized that the Vitebsk region is known as the birthplace of many festivals, including international and republican ones. Our "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" has already become a world heritage.
Traditionally, as part of the celebration of Culture Workers' Day, the results of the work of all institutions in the region are summarized. This year, the recipients of the regional executive committee awards and honorary titles of the best in their field are: Vladimir Tolmach, an artist of the regional philharmonic society; Alexandra Burdilevskaya, an actress of the Belarusian Puppet Theatre "Lyalka"; Olesya Kalacheva, a teacher at the Vitebsk Children's Art School named after A. Bogatyrev; Victoria Mlyavaya, a teacher at the Chashniki Children's Art School; Igor Fyodorov, a researcher at the Glubokoye Museum of History and Ethnography; Valentina Grinevich, director of the Ushachi District Center of Culture and Folk Arts; Daria Motyazh, head of the Center of National Cultures – a branch of the Vitebsk Culture Center. Svetlana Boltrushevich, head of the Polotsk Crafts Center, and Olga Zagvozdova, head of the folk studio "Spadchyna" at the Shumilino House of Crafts, were recognized as the best masters of traditional crafts. Tatyana Voronets, head of the Novopolotsk Children's Library named after Alexander Pushkin, and Anna Shashutkina, head of the Yevdokiya Los Children's Library in Vitebsk, were named the best in their nomination. Olga Antonenok, director of the Braslav District Association of Museums, received an award for organizing paid services to the public.