Solemn ritual to honor state emblem, flag

The state symbols of Belarus reflect a national idea – the desire of Belarusians for an independent and peaceful life. Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made the statement during a solemn ceremony held in the State Flag Square on 9 May to honor the state symbols.

The ritual is meant to bolster respect for the state symbols of the Republic of Belarus. The ritual is based on the Constitution’s provisions on the state flag and the state emblem – symbols of Belarus as a sovereign state.

This year’s Victory Day happened to be on the second Sunday of May and therefore coincided with another important holiday – Day of the State Emblem and the State Flag. According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, the coincidence of the most important holidays in the history of Belarusian statehood in the Year of People’s Unity is a sign of immutability of the national traditions and spiritual values.

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “We know that our emblem, flag, anthem, and the Great Victory are inextricably interlinked symbols of the greatness and independence of the Belarusian nation. They embody fateful accomplishments of Belarusians, spiritual and moral traits of the nation, peculiarities of our culture and world view.”

He stated that these state symbols reflect the national idea – the desire of Belarusians for an independent, peaceful, and creative life. “Belarusians have never deviated from their traditions, values, and principles on this historic road,” the president stressed. “With our symbols we became one of the republics that founded the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Together with brotherly nations we won and overthrew fascism. With these symbols we went down in history as a founder of the United Nations Organization. We managed to secure unity and survive as a sovereign country in the difficult 1990s.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked that despite economic crises Belarus had preserved the manufacturing sector and agriculture, Belarusian specialists had explored the outer space, and are busy developing cutting-edge technologies, including information technologies and nuclear energy technologies. “And we did it in conditions of unprecedented challenges to our statehood – economic sanctions and political ultimatums,” he pointed out.

Aleksandr Lukashenko went on saying: “Now after going through more trials and surviving them today’s Belarusians have filled these symbols with new content. After looking into the face of the danger of losing the country, Belarus’ patriots now proudly and strongly hold in their hands the flag – a descendant of the Banner of Victory. To those who encroach on the sacred flag and the memory of the Great Victory, I can tell one thing: look into the eyes of the Great Patriotic War veterans that still live, feel with all your heart all those, who look at us from back then, feel those, who secured this victory and perished decades ago. They remember the ‘so-called fighters’ for people’s freedom with white-red-white bands on their sleeves, who were hardly different from the Nazi and even surpassed their cruelty at times,” the president stated.

He remarked that participants of the war know the price for this “people’s freedom” surrounded by the barb wire of ghettos and concentration camps. “We, Belarusians, will never accept the color of treachery of our Motherland, the color of accomplices of murderers and executioners of the Belarusian people. It was the people, who decided what our key symbols will be,” Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed.

During the ceremony the head of state addressed Great Patriotic War veterans: “There are not many of you left, but we bow low to all of you that remain. Today we bow to those who left us, to those who gifted us the country and this life. Know that we will fight for the memory of your heroic feats. And we will win because truth is on our side, because we are descendants of winners, and because we are together.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “We’ve always lived in the calm and peaceful country of Belarus. It is only recently that attempts have been made to set Belarusians at odds with each other. Today I can say: we have sorted lies from the truth. Let’s stop this standoff no one needs. Let’s clearly agree that for the first time in millennia we happen to enjoy the happiness of living in this piece of land and of raising our kids. Let’s at last understand that there will be no other land for us and nobody will gift us one.”

The president pointed out that a cruel and sometimes bloody redivision of the world had begun. “We don’t want to falter and face this steamroller. Once we falter, we will be broken just like we were many times in the course of history. They will wipe their feet off us and will push us down the sewer. Because by the will of fate and God we are located at a geopolitical fissure,” the head of state noted.

Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded that Belarus had always been an arena of someone else’s wars, that the Belarusian people had been stomped on and slaughtered – both elderly and babes in arms. “Does anyone really want a repeat of that in Belarus? We should not allow it. I am talking about Belarusians, all those who stand here today and welcome these symbols, and all those who are absent and have a different point of view. We should at last understand and recognize that we are Belarusians and this is our land. We must not give it away or gift it to anyone,” he stressed. “And may our symbols secure this unity and accord.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko congratulated participants of the ceremony and all the citizens of Belarus on Day of the State Emblem and the State Flag. “May these symbols of the country’s independence, heroism, unity of the nation protect peace in the native land, inspire us for new accomplishments in the name of the future of beloved Belarus,” he wished.

As the head of state that embodies the unity of the nation, on behalf of the entire Belarusian nation Aleksandr Lukashenko honored Belarus’ state symbols that embody the supreme public and political values – independence and sovereignty.

The head of state passed the canvas of the State Flag and an image of the State Emblem to representatives of the youth as a token of the continuity of civil traditions and the unity of all generations of the Belarusian nation. In turn, the young people swore an oath of allegiance to the State Flag.

The ritual ended with the performance of Belarus’ State Anthem.

Helicopters bearing images of the state flag and the state emblem flew over the square. Aircraft painted skies above Minsk with colors of the State Flag.