Solemn meeting to mark Independence Day, first ceremony to bestow the Hero of Belarus title

On 2 July 2001, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the solemn meeting celebrating Belarus’ Independence Day in the Palace of the Republic. He stressed that Belarus had established itself as an independent sovereign state with well-developed social sector, economy, science, and culture.

In anticipation of the country’s key holiday the president bestowed awards upon outstanding Belarusians, who were awarded the honorary title Hero of Belarus for the first time in the history of the sovereign state. The awards went to Director General of the industrial group BelAZ – Director of the automobile engineering company BelAZ Pavel Mariyev, Chairman of the Board of the Nesvizh District agricultural enterprise Snov Mikhail Karchmit, and Chairman of the Grodno District agricultural enterprise Oktyabr Vitaly Kremko. The former Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Aleksandr Dubko was awarded the title Hero of Belarus posthumously.

Aleksandr Lukashenko presented orders and medals to representatives of labor collectives, agriculture, science, culture, education, and healthcare.