MINSK, 5 July (BelTA) – The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized the festival Feel At Home in Belarus 2.0, BelTA has learned. The festival was timed to Vyshyvanka Day.
Last year the format of the event evolved into a mini festival. Every participating country can demonstrate its national clothes, traditions, and cuisine. Top officials and employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Belarus traditionally take part in the event with their families.
While talking to reporters during the event, Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei noted that the goal of the festival is simple: the organizers would like foreign diplomats to feel at home in Belarus. Cultures should not separate countries and nations, but should bring them closer, Vladimir Makei stressed.
“We would like the diplomats, who have worked here for years – some spend 5-6 years here, some more than ten – to leave Belarus with a feeling they've spent this time as if they were at home. Belarus is home to representatives of over 140 nationalities, 26 religious denominations. The key principle of our state policy is to secure peace, tranquility, tolerance, and friendship in the society,” Vladimir Makei said.
Many foreign diplomats turned up for the event wearing national clothes. For instance, Ambassador of Sweden to Belarus Christina Johannesson put on her grandmother's dress, which is over 100 years old. Such dresses are traditional in northern Sweden. The grandmother sewed the dress herself when she was in school.
Ambassador of Russia to Belarus Dmitry Mezentsev came wearing an official costume while his spouse was dressed more informally. The ambassador explained he had spent too little time in Belarus to acquire a vyshyvanka [a traditional embroidered Belarusian shirt]. He presented a number of gifts to Vladimir Makei's family. For instance, Vladimir Makei's youngest son Artyom received an autograph from the rapper Timati, who performed in Minsk recently.
UK Ambassador to Belarus Fionna Gibb visited the festival for the first time. She had only positive impressions: it is rare to see such a large number of national cultures in one place. Fionna Gibb comes from Scotland, this is why she tried to add Scottish flavor to her image and was wearing a plaid in this cool weather.
Charge d'Affaires of Japan to Belarus Hiroki Tokunaga came wearing his country's traditional men costume. The diplomat said he had opted for a very official version of the kimono. “I thought today was the best time to demonstrate it,” he stressed. “I don't wear a kimono every day, only for important occasions.”
The festival gathered up about 200 guests. It featured national cuisines of about 20 countries, including Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, India, Italy, South Korea, Pakistan, the UAE, Sudan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, the USA, and Czechia. Participants of the festival were made familiar with unique dances and songs of the peoples of Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Ukraine. A photo exhibition was arranged to demonstrate places of interest and landscapes from various countries.
Representatives of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that such meetings are meant to demonstrate the affinity of spiritual sources of many nations in addition to diversity. Such events create an unbelievable atmosphere of unity of different nations and cultures. They allow one to take a closer look at peculiarities and traditions of nations, countries, regions, and even continents, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes.
