Kupala Night Festival (Alexandria Gathers Friends)

The festival in Alexandria embodies Belarus' ancient heritage. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during the national Kupala Night Festival (Alexandria Gathers Friends).

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Once again Alexandria has summoned friends. Once again we have gathered here together. We are gathered to stop the crazy pace of time and turn towards our origins. At least in thoughts. The pulse of the thousand-year-old history of Belarusian land beats especially stronger here today, on the picturesque bank of the Dnieper River. We see it in the art of talented masters, in melodies of folk songs, in plots of ancient rites, and in the magic of the Kupala night.”

The president underlined that the festival embodies everything Belarusians have honorably considered their ancient heritage: “It is the greatest value of interpersonal relations based on friendship, mutual respect, and hospitality. All of those are available here. It is a value of our own kin that lasts thanks to powerful traditions of family, care for parents, and love of children. And every year we see that Belarusians and our respected guests come here with their families.”

“Our festival also embodies the value of historical memory. Memory about our glorious past, about the fact that Belarus is our land. And our roots are ancient. We feel this connection to centuries particularly strongly here. And we understand the value of our cultural code here. Since the very start it has incorporated the eagerness of Belarusians for justice, high morality, and patriotism. Our national state is built on these principles and develops according to them,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Every day we face attempts to impose so-called universal values upon us. However, they are not meant for us. The global state of the future is a utopia. The world will never be monocultural. There is no idea appealing enough to make all the nations to abandon their ethnic history, way of life, and traditions. Even more so today when we see how fates of entire nations get ruined, how roots of one's own history get thoughtlessly cut off, how graves of ancestors are desecrated, and how monuments get demolished. We see it and understand that there is no and there can be no will, sovereignty, respect, and security without national dignity.”

The president went on saying: “Nowadays when the fight for preserving the value-based foundation of the state continues in the world, the truly independent nations go the extra mile to preserve their original way of life. Nations are united by a dialogue of culture, not the cancel culture. It is the key meaning of our celebration today. It is what inspires our development. Every year Alexandria summons friends from all over the world for the sake of peace and creation!”

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “You know my heart belongs to this corner of Belarus. It is my place of power. This land, the people who live here have taught me how to love my country and my nation. And I will not tire of thanking my small motherland for the happy years of my childhood and my youth. For the energy that this land feeds me even today. And I am ready to share it with you.”

The president wished the locals to always be happy and thanked everyone, who made the celebration in Alexandria possible: organizers, producers, artists, and craftsmen. “Everyone, who creates this special atmosphere of friendship and warmth of communication. I thank our dear guests,” Aleksandr Lukashenko noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “If everywhere, in every meter of our Belarus we behave just like this, hospitably and reasonably, if we welcome our relatives, friends, and even those, who have made mistakes but come to us with good intentions, then there will be peace in our country. As soon as we start crushing and breaking, as soon as we elevate ourselves to high heaven and stay there while looking down on other seemingly second-rate nations, then a war will break out.”

The Belarusian leader said: “This is why take care of what we have, appreciate what we have. And then we will always live in peace and accord. Not only with our neighbors. They are chosen by god. We cannot choose them. But with all the nations of our planet.”