Round table «Vasil Bykau. Paths and prospects of research and interpretations of creativity: Yes, the 100th year of the folk literature of Belarus» in BGAMLI

On June 12, 2024, a round table «Vasil Bykau. Paths and prospects for research and interpretations of creativity: Yes, the 100th anniversary of the national written language of Belarus», organized jointly with the Union of Writers of Belarus and the monthly scientific and methodological magazine «Native Words» was held in the Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art.

The event was moderated by the director of the Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art E.A.Makarenko and the editor-in-chief of the magazine «Native Words» N.N.Shapran.

Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Belarus and editor-in-chief of the Zvyazda Publishing House A.N.Karlyukevich presented the collection «Selected works of Vasil Bykav: for young people and senior schoolchildren to grow» and donated it to the library collection of the Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art.

In addition, A.I.Cherota (deputy chairman of the Union of Writers of Belarus, editor-in-chief of the newspaper «Literatures and Arts»), V.I.Korotkevich (head of the sector for supporting the national study of the quality of education, senior researcher at the laboratory of humanities) took part in the round table. Education Academy of Education), M.V.Trus (PhD in Philology, senior researcher at the Center for Research of Early Prints and Manuscripts of the Central Scientific Library named after Yakub Kolas of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus), S.V.Shapran (researcher of Belarusian literature, biographer of V. Bykov), L.P.Saenkova-Melnitskaya (Doctor of Philology, head of the department of literary and artistic criticism of the Faculty of Journalism of BSU), I.R.Knyazeva (senior researcher at the State Museum of the History of Belarusian Literature), A.V.Trofimchik (leading researcher at the National Museum of the Republic of Belarus).

At the round table, various aspects of the life and work of Vasil Bykov, his contribution to Belarusian literature and culture were discussed. Scientists, critics, researchers and admirers of the writer’s work exchanged opinions on the significance of his works, their relevance in the modern world, and explored unknown aspects of the life and work of Vasil Bykov.

During the round table, new research, analytical works, articles and publications about Vasil Bykov were presented. The participants discussed scientific approaches to the study of his works, various methodologies for interpreting and analyzing texts, issues of preserving the writer’s heritage, his place in the history and culture of Belarus and beyond.

The event also marked the official opening of the exhibition «Sam-us with eternity» for the 100th anniversary of the writer. It presents unique exhibits from the writer’s personal archive, including manuscripts of his works, photographs, and books.

«The exhibition is dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the people’s writer of Belarus Vasil Bykov. We presented documents that form the basis of the writer’s fund, which was replenished several times. It all started with Vasil Vladimirovich himself bringing his documents to the archive-museum in 1970 and 1981 and created the basis for this fund. Later, documents came here through his relatives and researchers. What can be seen at the exhibition is the main extract from the subsections of the fund: documents related to his autobiography, his speech before the Writers’ Union, manuscripts, typewritten sheets with handwritten edits, correspondence with colleagues, correspondence that he received from all over the USSR, various reviews from readers», said leading archivist of the Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art Natalya Aleksandrovna Mizon.

Participants were able to get to know the life and work of Vasil Bykov even more deeply and understand his contribution to Belarusian literature and culture.

S.V.Shapran transferred part of the documents from the Grodno archive of V. Bykov to the Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art and expressed hopes for the transfer of all materials in the near future. This process demonstrates the desire to preserve the memory of outstanding personalities and events for future generations and researchers. The transfer of documents also contributes to the expansion of research work and the popularization of the literary heritage of Vasily Bykov.

The round table and the opening of the exhibition became important events for researchers of literature and culture of Belarus, as well as for everyone who appreciates the work of Vasil Bykov and wants to deepen their understanding of his works.

The round table was covered by the largest news agency of Belarus «BELTA» and the daily socio-political newspaper «Komsomolskaya Pravda».

1. Director of BGAMLI E.A.Makarenko with a welcoming speech

2. Director of BGAMLI E.A.Makarenko and round table participants

3. Round table «Vasil Bykau. Paths and prospects of research and interpretations of creativity: Yes, the 100th year of the folk written language of Belarus»

4. Natalya Aleksandrovna Mizon opens the exhibition «To us with eternity» for the 100th anniversary of the writer

5. E.A. Makarenko and A.I. Cherota

6. Transfer of documents to BGAMLI

7. Round table participants

8. During the performance

9. During the performance