The Palace of Independence, which all of us are used to consider as the residence of the head of state, a central venue to host summit meetings, negotiations, significant national and international events, has changed beyond recognition during the ongoing New Year holidays. In this winter time children become its main hosts. They attend the New Year’s celebrations held as part of the Our Children charity campaign.
About 1,000 children, including orphans, children from large and foster families, as well as children of Belarusians abroad will take part in the celebrations this year. On 4 January, the Palace of Independence opened its doors for children from Vitebsk Oblast, Mogilev Oblast and Minsk Oblast, Minsk, Russia and Lithuania.
"The nicest thing we heard was “Why so fast?”
The ceremonial hall greets visitors with a true winter fairy tale. Just recently, it hosted a New Year Eve’s Ball for young people, and now it is ready to offer real magic for children. There is absolutely no exaggeration in these words as young visitors and participants perceive the performance exactly like this.
Christmas tree toys, Christmas candles, Christmas cards and magic magnet workshops, magic mask painting master classes, interactive shops, VR-games and, of course, the New Year’s performance make up a true adventure in the Queen of Winter footsteps.
“It is for the first time that the Young Spectators’ Theater has been given a task to prepare such an important event. We are extremely happy about it, because the Young Spectators’ Theater knows best how to make a great and kind fairy tale for children. We developed a fairy tale quest, where children faced a set of challenges to achieve a certain goal. I think we have succeeded. This is a very good, kind fairy tale about love and true friendship. The main character is a young person who sits together with the audience, he is absolutely the same as all the children who came here to watch this fairy tale,” Director of the Belarusian State Academic Young Spectators’ Theater, Honored Artist of Belarus Vera Polyakova-Makei.
This year’s performance is a special one. Firstly, the artists perform live, which is technically more convenient and easier during such performances. They sing live, because this is the only way for them to transfer all their energy to the audience and communicate with it.
“The most pleasant thing we heard was, “Why so fast?” For any artist and director this is the biggest gift,” Vera Polyakova-Makei emphasized.
Secondly, all the animation on the screens was made using artificial intelligence. This is the first such experience for the theater, and it turned out to be successful.
“New Year is the most important holiday in my life”
For many children, New Year is the most important holiday in their lives now. For example, this is very true for Olya. She lives in a foster family in the village of Prikhaby in Belynichi District.
“I have three sisters and three brothers. New Year is the most important holiday in my life, because we sit down with the family at the table, eat, get presents and have fun,” said the girl.
Often children make the simplest and at the same time the most complicated wishes for the New Year - for everyone to be happy and healthy. 12-year-old Ksenia from a large family is very specific and pragmatic in this matter: she asked Grandfather Frost for a a full set of cosmetics.
“Now I have a huge makeup box and there are a lot of different cosmetics in it,” the girl said. “Now I want a dog. Any breed, but a small one. They are awesome.”
“I got impressed as soon as I came here”
Darina, 10, lives in the city of Krugloe in Mogilev Oblast. Her older sister Alina helped her get ready for the holiday in Minsk. She helped her make a hairdo and pick up a dress. Her other little sister was still asleep at that moment.
“We celebrated the New Year wonderfully. My cousin Polina came to me. I helped my mother wash plates, sweep, clean and cook. I wished myself happiness and health and I wish it to everyone - happiness, health and love,” said Darina.
The girl made a New Year card and planned to give it to her sister Karina. “She always helps me with my lessons. She is kind and good, allows me a lot of things,” Darina explained.
Visitors to the Belarusian capital were also impressed with the celebrations.
“I have only just arrived, and I am already impressed. I like the crafts, animators. I have not seen the performance yet, but I already like everything here. I feel as if I have seen something amazing,” nine-year-old Kristian said. He came to Minsk from Moscow.
Games, workshops and a New Year's performance were not the only presents for the children. One more gift was New Year's sweet sets from the President of Belarus. No one has ever left the Palace of Independence empty-handed.
The New Year charity campaign Our Children has been held annually in Belarus since 1995. Its goal is to provide help and support to children who need it.
Representatives of the authorities and public associations visit children's boarding schools, foster families, family-type children's homes, developmental education and rehabilitation centers, hospitals, families raising disabled children. New Year events for children are organized in the Belarusian capital and in all regions of the country.
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