ARCHIVIST’S DAY
On October 4, 2023, a documentary exhibition prepared by the National Archive of the Republic of Belarus and dedicated to the Day of the Archivist opened at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus.
Every year, on October 6, Belarus celebrates the Archivist’s Day, fixed by Presidential Decree No. 157 “On Public Holidays, holidays and memorable dates in the Republic of Belarus” dated March 26, 1998. This holiday was established in honor of the anniversary of the foundation of the first centralized state archive on the territory of modern Belarus – the Vitebsk Central Archive ancient assembly books, which began its work in 1863 and existed until 1903. The foundation of this archive was connected with the frequent cases of forgery of records in the assembly books, which were previously stored in judicial institutions and were available for various kinds of falsifications.
The work of an archivist or archivist according to the old version may seem boring, monotonous and monotonous to many, but in fact it is far from so – it is one of the most fascinating and intriguing professions in the world, allowing you to come into contact with the complex intricacies of human destinies. In the Middle Ages, only priests who deserved special respect and trust became such specialists.
To date, there are more than 12,000,000 different documents in the archival repositories of Belarus. Gradually, especially valuable documents are transferred to digital media, all this is done to ensure the reliable preservation of documents for future generations. The Archives Service has a wide regional network, in total there are more than 170 subordinate organizations in the archival sphere.
The exhibition presents the most interesting documents reflecting the selfless work of archival workers of Belarus, who literally had to collect archives that were in a deplorable state after the revolution, civil war and foreign interventions. Today, as 100 years ago, archives perform many functions. But the essence of the archivists’ work has always remained and remains unchanged – the preservation of the documentary historical wealth of Belarus.
We heartily congratulate the archive workers on their professional holiday and wish them all the best!
