MINSK, 17 September (BelTA) – People's Unity Day has become a dream come true for many generations, which fought for justice and belief in a better life, BelTA learned from Nikolai Shchekin, Candidate of Philosophy, Head of the Sociology of Public Administration Department at the Sociology Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.
Nikolai Shchekin said: “Belarus can achieve success and prosperity only thanks to the responsibility of the entire Belarusian nation before its fate and its genuine unity. While the modern world of manipulations leaves little space to historical truth and memory, Belarus has chosen the way of stability and national freedom. As we go through yet another complicated period of our development, we all feel the tremendous pressure of opponents and enemies, who want to exploit problems of our society. It is necessary to understand that historically the Belarusian society has been going towards a nation-freeing social project – its own statehood – for centuries step by step, in an evolutionary manner while often experiencing hardships, political, cultural, and religious pressure on the part of militant countries. This is why the proclaimed People's Unity Day has become kind of the nation's dream come true for many generations of those, who fought for justice and belief in a better life.”
According to Nikolai Shchekin, the main criteria of people's unity are security and sovereignty, a dialogue between religions and between religions and the state, an effective economy, the preservation of Christian values and historical values, a strong government and a strong army, national interests and constructive interstate interaction, mercy and conscientiousness.
The analyst said: “The decision made by Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko the day before to pardon 13 citizens, who have reconsidered their actions and possibly the meaning of their lives in favor of a peaceful future, is deeply symbolical. People's Unity Day is not only an underscored total of what has been achieved but a look into the future. I think many will agree if I say that the role of the national leader – the president – is a constitutive factor of the nation's unity. The polarization of the society our foes constantly push for cannot and should not be the social measuring stick. The variety and the multifactor nature of social processes in Belarus, differences of opinions and judgments but unity in goal-setting and methods for reaching prosperity and for preserving the country make the Belarusian society stronger and wiser.”
Nikolai Shchekin believes that all attempts to devalue People's Unity Day will crumble in the face of the unity of the Belarusian society.
Nikolai Shchekin went on saying: “It is difficult to overestimate this holiday. Its significance will not be understood right away but the civil need for it has already become tangible. The philosophy of unity and the history of reconnection represent the greatest civilizational achievement of the Belarusian nation. Today every citizen takes part in the establishment of new traditions of Belarusian statehood, which potentially may become part of the genetic national code of Belarus. Our European neighbors could learn a thing or two from Belarusians with regard to their courage, tenacity, and people's unity in defending their sovereignty and national identity as well as an interstate dialogue. We have yet to achieve a lot together. The realization of the plans depends largely on personal qualities and professional skills of citizens – their allegiance to the country, constant self-sacrifice, the acquisition of new knowledge, respectful attitude to people around them, care for their friends and families, care for the elderly and kids.”
