Belarusian film about Chernobyl aftermath cleanup, land restoration screened in Bern

MINSK, 29 April (BelTA) – A screening of the film “Chernobyl. Living Earth” produced by the Belarusfilm studio took place in the city of Bern, BelTA learned from the Embassy of Belarus in Switzerland.

The screening was organized by the Belarusian diplomatic mission as part of events dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant catastrophe. The event took place at a public cinema in Bern. The film is dedicated to the history of the elimination of the consequences of the catastrophe and the painstaking work to rehabilitate the affected areas of the Republic of Belarus.

As Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Switzerland Aleksandr Ganevich noted in his welcoming speech, for four decades Belarus has been restoring life in the affected territories step by step. The country has come a long way from responding to an emergency to rehabilitation and sustainable development of regions that many thought would remain uninhabitable for many years to come.

The head of the Belarusian diplomatic mission emphasized the large-scale work carried out to return the affected lands to agricultural use, Belarus’ unique experience in radiation medicine, rehabilitation of territories, and organization of public health protection. Nowadays Belarus’ expertise and relevant practical developments are in demand around the world.

Aleksandr Ganevich noted that the memory of the consequences of the Chernobyl catastrophe must be preserved as a tribute to the courage and heroism of the Chernobyl liquidators who, at the cost of their lives and health, stopped the radioactive calamity, as an invaluable lesson and a warning for future generations.

About 80 people attended the screening in Bern, including employees of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation, family members, representatives of Belarusian and Russian diasporas, and the Swiss general public.