At the forefront of historical memory. Young archivists from Molodechno won the Grand Prix of the «No Statute of Limitations: Unconquered» competition

A team of young archivists from the Zonal State Archives of Molodechno represented Belarus with honor in the international project «No Statute of Limitations: Unconquered». Having gone all the way from the media marathon in their hometown to the final stage, the guys won the Grand Prix, confirming their civic maturity, creative depth and high level of involvement in archival work.

The geography of the competition is impressive: 525 teenagers from 98 children’s regional film and media studios, representing 37 subjects of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, took part. A total of 187 media works were submitted, each with a unique view of the most important pages of history. The ZGA archivists in Molodechno became winners in the nomination «The Earth Wept», and their video will be included in the Film Almanac «Without Statute of Limitations: Unconquered» – a collection of the best media projects that have preserved the voice of historical truth.

The work of Polina Prostakova and German Rozhok is an emotional understanding of the tragedy of Khatyn, wiped off the face of the earth, but forever remaining in the souls of the people. Through documentary chronicles and visual images, the young authors spoke about the pain, resilience and importance of preserving the National memory passed down through generations. This is not just a victory – a response to the call of the President of the Republic of Belarus for the active participation of young people in patriotic education. This is a step towards archives sounding, teaching, inspiring. In September, young archivists will go to the Orlyonok All-Russian Children’s Center for the themed media shift of the Boomerang festival-forum, where they will continue to work with archival sources, exchange experiences, and present their project as part of the All-Russian platform.

This is not the first victory of the young archivists of the ZGA in Molodechno at international competitions – the team consistently demonstrates a high professional approach and sincere motivation to preserve archival heritage.

The team leader is Inna Pudakevich, an inspiring mentor, thanks to whom archival work for teenagers has become a living, meaningful, and creative way to learn about history and themselves.

The video work of the winners can be viewed on the YouTube channel of the ZGA in Molodechno – a vivid testimony to the fact that memory is alive as long as it is preserved.