Preserving Historical Truth: Archivists from Mogilev and Astrakhan Hold a Joint Videoconference

International cooperation between sister cities continues to evolve in a digital format. On October 15, 2026, the State Archive of the Mogilev Region and the State Archive of the Astrakhan Region held a joint videoconference focused on patriotic education and engagement with young people.

The meeting took place within the framework of an existing cooperation agreement between the archival institutions of the two regions. The primary goal of the dialogue was to exchange experience regarding the preservation of historical memory and the involvement of the younger generation in studying the documentary heritage of both nations.

In her opening remarks, Lyudmila Tsalabanova, Deputy Director of the State Archive of the Mogilev Region, described the archive’s engagement with a youth audience. Alexander Petukhov, Head of the Department for Scientific Use and Publication of Documents, provided specific examples of this work, highlighting participation in the national initiative «Archives to Schools».

Olga Belova — head of the Mogilev regional branch of the Union of Writers of Belarus, as well as a poet, playwright, screenwriter, and director — shared an example of how archival documents are utilized in interactive projects. She spoke about a significant cultural and educational initiative titled «Letters of War Brought to Life», which aims to foster a deep emotional connection to the history of the Great Patriotic War through unique wartime letters held in the archive’s collections.

A key component of the videoconference was the direct participation of young people themselves. Matvey Adakimchik and Bogdan Danilenko, students from Secondary School No.21 in Mogilev, shared their experiences of researching archival documents for their own academic projects.

Following the meeting, the participants outlined a plan for future joint initiatives.

1. Title slide of the videoconference.

2. Participants of the event.

3. Presentation of the cultural and educational project «Letters of War Brought to Life».

4. Remarks by Olga Belova, head of the Mogilev Regional Branch of the Union of Writers of Belarus.

5. An excerpt from the presentation delivered by the Russian side.