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MINSK, 16 January (BelTA) – The From Heart to Heart campaign, held in Belarus on 23 December – 14 January 2026, reached approximately 600,000 senior citizens, Veronika Gulevich, Deputy Head of the Main Department of Social Services and Social Assistance of the Belarusian Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, said at a press conference, BelTA has learned.
Veronika Gulevich noted that the festive season is a time to remember and support the senior citizens, which is why Belarus held the From Heart to Heart New Year charity campaign for the fourth time. “Considering all the events, we reached about 600,000 elderly citizens. The campaign raised around Br2.5 million from public donations. The money was used to fund festive greetings for senior citizens and to upgrade the facilities and equipment of social institutions,” she said.
Veronika Gulevich mentioned that special emphasis was placed on Great Patriotic War veterans, individuals affected by its consequences, single citizens or those living alone, centenarians, and labor veterans. “This campaign is held on the eve of the New Year and Christmas because it fills this time with special meaning and symbolizes care and attention to the older generation from our youth, schoolchildren, and simply caring citizens,” she added.
According to her, the Ministry of Labor maintains the campaign’s core traditions each year while introducing new activities to ensure variety. Across the country, senior citizens enjoyed special themed days, festive concerts, social evenings, and other heartwarming gatherings.
The campaign also helped those who find it difficult to prepare for the holidays. “The Garland of Good Deeds charity event was held from 23 to 30 December. Volunteers, including youth and school students, helped single senior citizens to get their homes ready for the festivities. The event saw active participation from around 25,000 young volunteers. Their efforts helped approximately 36,000 seniors, enabling them to welcome the New Year in the comfort of their own homes,” Veronika Gulevich said.
One of the most memorable events of the campaign was the festive event “Congratulations from the bottom of our hearts,” held on 3 January at the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus. “Words of gratitude and congratulations were expressed to the elderly citizens, and a major festive event was held. In total, the event reached about a thousand elderly citizens from all over the country,” she said.
A fond memory for many were the Christmas balls organized across Belarusian regions on 9 January. They went ahead despite a cyclone affecting the country that day, bringing together 8,200 people.
During these special days, the country’s centenarians celebrated their birthdays. More than 1,800 people received congratulations at home, and 88 individuals celebrated their 100th anniversaries.
“Our campaign is young, it is only held for the fourth time. Nevertheless, it gains increasing popularity among Belarusians every year. Speaking about the scale of this campaign, I would like to express immense gratitude to our social partners and friends: public associations, the esteemed body of deputies, the Belarusian Orthodox Church, charitable organizations, cultural institutions, enterprises of various profiles, and individual entrepreneurs,” Veronika Gulevich concluded.
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