On August 19, 2022 the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus organized a round table chaired by Deputy Minister Oleg Kot for representatives of public associations to exchange experience in carrying out activities within the Year of Historical Memory
The round table was attended by representatives of government bodies and public associations: Prosecutor General’s Office, National Archives, Belarusian Union of Women, Belarusian Republican Union of Lawyers, Belarusian Union of Veterans of War in Afghanistan, among others.
Within the framework of the meeting the participants got acquainted with the exhibition of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus dedicated to the 120th anniversary of Panteleimon Kondratievich Ponomarenko – the state and party figure, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Belarus, the secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the chairman of the BSSR Council of Ministers, the Minister of Procurement of the USSR, the Minister of Culture of the USSR, the Head of the Central Headquarters of Partisan Movement, lieutenant general. An interactive exhibition «Partisans of Belarus» was presented to the participants of the round table. It includes more than 70 exhibits – pictures of the Great Patriotic War, lists of awards and combat characteristics of the partisans and underground fighters who acted during the Great Patriotic War. The exposition is based on the documents of the unique Internet project of the publishing house «Belarus Today» and the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus «Partisans of Belarus», the materials of the Belarusian State Archives of Films, Photographs and Sound Recordings. Thanks to the interactive stand presented at the exhibition, each guest of the archive was able to try to find his heroic ancestor from among the partisans and underground fighters. The participants of the event also had a chance to see the exhibition of weapons and ammunition samples, presented by the Belarusian Union of Afghanistan War Veterans Public Association.
Answering journalists’ questions, Oleg Kot noted: «Taking into account the information wars that are currently being waged, our national history is being assessed from a different angle, therefore, of course, archival documents are of particular value for the preservation of historical memory. They currently preserve what cannot be changed, sometimes they are the only source of confirmation of the facts of the historical truth».
It is symbolic that the event on the topic of the Year of Historical Memory was held at the National Archives of Belarus. It is the place where the true history is preserved in documents. The archives are becoming particularly important now, when there is a massive attack on our national history, including the period of the Great Patriotic War. Now there are attempts to discredit the partisan movement in Belarus and to diminish its importance and results. The policy of the Nazis aimed at the physical destruction of the civilian population of Belarus and at the creation of all conditions for its extinction is questioned – and these are the main parameters that define the concept of «genocide», the Deputy Minister said in his greeting speech.
Director of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus Andrei Demyanyuk spoke at the round table about the events held by the Archives in the Year of Historical Memory. In his speech, he highlighted the active work of archivists with the younger generation within the framework of the «Archives for School» campaign, the publication of a unique series of collections «Without Statute of Limitation. Belarus», and the active involvement of the archives in the development of the Internet portal «Partisans of Belarus».
Representative of the General Prosecutor’s Office Eduard Skurat in his report «Places of Forced Detention in the Years of Occupation 1941-1944 on the Territory of Modern Belarus» presented a number of earlier unknown facts which were uncovered during the criminal case on genocide of the Belarusian people.
Natalia Filippova, First Deputy Minister of Justice, representing the public association «Belarusian Union of Women» shared the experience of events within the framework of the Year of Historical Memory. She noted the importance of studying the true historical facts and events in the modern realities and the importance of joint efforts of public associations in building our state. «Interaction of public associations is the key to building a strong civil society», Natalia Filippova summarized her speech.
At the end of the event, a tour around the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus was organized. The participants were able to get acquainted with the history of the institution and the organization of archival storage. Tatiana Ageenko, a research assistant of the publications department, presented unique historical documents reflecting the formation and development of the Belarusian statehood, organization of partisan movement during the Great Patriotic War.
The head of the department of personal collections, Inessa Dorogush, acquainted the guests with a selection of personal documents and photo archives of famous public and political figures and military commanders.
Based on materials of the website of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus
