A cultural and educational marathon, held in honor of the Year of the Belarusian Woman, took place at the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus

On October 15, 2026, at the initiative of the Department for Archives and Records Management of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as the «Department»), a cultural and educational marathon titled «Women in the History of Belarus» was held at the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as the «NARB»).

The event was attended by heads and staff members of national archival institutions. Prior to the start of the marathon, a banner exhibition titled «Women Across Different Eras of Belarusian History» — prepared by archivists from the National Historical Archives of Belarus (hereinafter referred to as the «NIAB»), the NARB, and the Belarusian State Archives of Film, Photo, and Phonographic Documents (hereinafter referred to as the «BGAKFFD») — was presented to the participants. The exhibition was introduced by S.N.Ryndin, Deputy Director for Scientific Work at the NIAB.

O.L.Voinov, Director of the Department, delivered welcoming remarks to the participants. He noted that throughout the year, Belarusian archivists have organized dozens of events dedicated to the Year of the Belarusian Woman, ranging from virtual and documentary exhibitions to thematic conferences. Oleg Leonidovich emphasized that one of the primary goals of such initiatives is to engage young people and integrate them into the public life of archival institutions.

The event continued with a round table titled «Guardians of Memory: The Role of Women in the Archival Service of Belarus». Presentations were delivered by the following speakers:

E.A.Makarenko (Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art) — «Renowned Names in Archival Work: Women Archivists of the Belarusian State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art»; O.Yu.Yurkevich (National Archives of the Republic of Belarus — NARB) — «The Professional Career of V.A.Ilicheva, Director of the Central State Archive of the October Revolution of the Byelorussian SSR, as Reflected in the Documents of the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus»;

N.E.Shapnevskaya (National Historical Archives of Belarus in Grodno — NIAB in Grodno) — «Preserving Memory: Women Archivists at the National Historical Archives of Belarus in Grodno» (video presentation);

S.N.Ryndin (National Historical Archives of Belarus — NIAB) — «At the Origins of National Shipbuilding: Countess Yulia Petrovna O’Brien de Lacy and Her Industrial Legacy (Based on Documents from the National Historical Archives of Belarus)»;

M.D.Romanova (Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Phonographic Documents — BGAKFFD) — «The Frame as a Point of View: Cinematographer T.D.Loginova of the ‘Belarusfilm’ Studio (Film Records from the BGAKFFD Collections)»;

E.A.Kurakova (Belarusian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation) — «Prominent Female Architects of Belarus (Based on Personal Collections Held at the Belarusian State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation)».

The marathon concluded with a quiz titled «Women in the History of Belarus», which featured 8 teams of archivists. Following a spirited competition with very narrow margins in the final scores, the top places were awarded as follows:

1st place — the BGAKFFD team;
2nd place — the NARB team;
3rd place — the NIAB team.

The teams were presented with diplomas and sweet treats! The event took place in a friendly, competitive spirit and offered participants the chance to discover new and fascinating facts about the history of our country.

2. Participants in the cultural and educational marathon

3. Presentation of the exhibition «Women Through the Eras of Belarusian History»

4. Welcoming remarks by O.L.Voinov

5. Presentation by E.A.Makarenko

6. Presentation by O.Yu.Yurkevich

7. Video presentation by N.E.Shapnevskaya

8. Presentation by S.N.Ryndin

9. Presentation by M.D.Romanova

10. Presentation by E.A.Kurakova

11. Quiz

12. Archival teams during the quiz

13. Archival teams during the quiz

14. Archival teams during the quiz

15. Work of the counting committee

16. Awarding of the NIAB team (3rd place)

17. Awarding of the NARB team (2nd place)

18. Awarding of the BGAKFFD team (1st place)

17. Arch. №E025684 Father Frost and Snow Maiden at the main entrance to Father Frost’s residence in the Belovezhskaya Pushcha National Park December 2003, Brest Region. BelTA Photo Chronicle, R.Kobyak