By Vestnik Kavkaza
In recent times the union between Russia and Belarus had paled into insignificance because of heavy discussions on the Customs Union. In the 1990s it was decided to establish a politically- and economically-integrated community to unite the material and intellectual potentials of the two states – the Union State. Economic and political projects failed sometimes, but humanitarian cooperation has always remained at a high level.
The round-table discussion “The bridge of friendship: commonwealth of young writers from Belarus and Russia” took place at MSU on September 5th. The first deputy minister of information of Belarus, Lilia Ananich, called the arrangement a “landmark” in her interview to Vestnik Kavkaza: “It is a landmark because cooperation between young writers, which unites not only the literary community, but also the social organizations of Belarus, Russia, the Association of Peoples of Russia, means that today we have a great need in working on improveing humanitarian space. Here, at the History Department of MSU, we can see a new history of cooperation between Belarus and Russia, Moscow in humanitarian and information formats. It is very important for us to have close contacts in informing the young generation, students, about events in Belarus so that we can impart knowledge to young people who will encourage our cooperation. We haven’t signed any legal documents today, but we have state documents which make the Ministry of Information and the History Department meet each other halfway. Discussion of the topic of young writers is another step toward improving our humanitarian space, our historic and spiritual roots. The round table hasn’t ended with words only, it has fixed a new idea that we would like to return to, of holding a forum of young writers of Belarus and Russia. We say that young people are the regents of our dreams, because literature and art is an address to people, readers, watchers, listeners, for their art contributes to the promotion of friendship ideas and neighborliness between Belarus and Russia.”
The chairman of the Council of the Ethnic Cultural Autonomy “Belarusians of Moscow”, Sergey Kandybovich, agrees with Ananich. “The current event has not only professional significance,” he told Vestnik Kavkaza. “Young writers, guys and girls gathered; a wonderful joint project was presented. However, there is another very deep sense of this event – the spiritual aspect, which is significant for moving forward for any society. The fact that today Belarus and Russia, which have actually built the Union State, are uniting spiritually, the spiritual ties are confirmed by the round table.
The fact that it is taking place at the History Department also means a lot. Fundamental science, the leading university of Russia supports these spiritual ties of brotherly peoples, as Vladimir Putin has said, the spiritual ties without which a normal person cannot imagine his or her life. Our social organization “Belarusians of Moscow”, which is one of the important civil institutions in uniting our peoples, not only the peoples of Russia and Belarus but also other people, has found its place in this process. I wish us all strong spiritual and mental health and wish we will meet often at any platforms, including the History Department of MSU, so we can discuss our life, good and understandable things. These will be the strongest ties which connect our great nations.”
