TIME FOR ACTUAL STEPS | VISIT UNDER BOMBS | BELARUS-KAZAKHSTAN | DIALOGUE OF CULTURES

TIME FOR ACTUAL STEPS

The focus is on preferences for attracting investments and launching new
production facilities. The President's attention to the southeast of
the Mogilev oblast remains undiminished. Almost all of these lands were
affected by the Chernobyl disaster. This had a negative impact on the
economy. To support the region, a number of decrees and programs were
adopted. It is crucial to take the best from these programs into the new
five-year period and avoid repeating past mistakes. As the President
emphasized, it is essential to provide maximum specificity.

VISIT UNDER BOMBS

Twenty-seven years ago, in April 1999, Aleksandr Lukashenko became the
only leader to fly to Belgrade while Yugoslavia was being carpet-bombed
by NATO. Despite closed skies and the lack of security guarantees, the
Belarusian leader flew to Belgrade to support the Serbian people. The
press called it "a visit under NATO bombs." The Belarusian President
visited sites that had been bombed and also visited hospital wards.
Summing up his stay in Belgrade, Aleksandr Lukashenko emphasized that
these were difficult hours, which made one realize how important peace
is.

BELARUS-KAZAKHSTAN

The Consulate General of Belarus was officially opened in Almaty. This
is an important step in expanding Belarus' diplomatic presence in
Central Asia. An Exchange Forum was also held in Almaty, where the
parties signed several agreements on the supply of Belarusian products
to Kazakhstan. These events marked the first official visit to
Kazakhstan by the Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs.

DIALOGUE OF CULTURES

Belarus continues to build and expand partnerships and cooperation with
all parts of the world. Public diplomacy plays a vital role in this,
with its mission to spread the truth about the country and Belarusians
abroad. The Belarusian Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with
Foreign Countries fulfills this function, among other things. This
year, it celebrates its centenary. A celebratory event was held in
Minsk.

STRENGTHEN COOPERATION

Industry, tourism, and cultural exchange. At a meeting between the head
of the Russian city, Andrei Proshunin, and the mayor of Minsk, Vladimir
Kukharev, prospects for cooperation between Minsk and Sochi were
discussed. The guests were interested in equipment from the Minsk
Motorcycle and Bicycle Plant, as well as products and technologies for
the construction of residential buildings, municipal vehicles, and
passenger cars.

TALENT COMMUNITY

The headquarters of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus hosted the
Fifth National Athletes' Forum. It brought together a diverse array of
distinguished speakers, from Hero of Belarus Darya Domracheva and
Russian Olympic medalist Anastasia Fesikova to the head coach of the
Belarusian national football team, Viktor Gancharenko. The forum was
organized jointly with the Russian International Olympic University, an
educational institution that helps build a strong athletic reserve for
both countries and prepare athletes for life beyond sport.