Spirituality and culture

"Culture is what makes us Belarusian."

"We will preserve and multiply the material and spiritual legacy of generations, pass the sovereign and independent state, our common home, where they will always feel safe and comfortable, to our descendants. This is our path! And the truth (and strength) is on our side!"

"We must not forget our language. We are not Belarusians if we fail to know the Belarusian language. Both Russian and Belarusian are our languages. We do not want to force the Belarusian language on anyone, but we will strive to encourage every Belarusian to be able to speak it. And there is nothing anti-Russian here."

"Life is not about lining up your pockets. We must understand that there are certain ethical foundations. First of all, these are patriotism and love for our land, in the name of which we must live and educate our children."

"Commitment to moral principles, generosity, and humanity are the secrets of the spiritual power of our people, which helped them hold out against all historical ordeals and build a sovereign state."

"Culture is what makes us Belarusian, and it doesn’t matter in what part of the globe we are living. It is not only our rich heritage, literature, music, architecture, but also the language that we should know, the history that we should remember, the values which we should respect."

"The great Russian language will be developing freely in Belarus alongside the native Belarusian language. If we lose the Russian language, we will lose our minds! If we stop speaking the Belarusian language, we will cease to be a nation."

"Today Belarus is a citadel of traditional culture and moral values. It will always remain so."

"Our national culture is a trove of spiritual wealth. This is our moral core. It helps preserve the identity. At the time when Belarus is facing attempts from outside to impose some averaged values which lead to the lack of taste and the lack of spirituality, it is very important to show this wealth, preserve the ideals and self-esteem."

"We should do our best to preserve our cultural legacy, multiply it and use it to nurture new generations. Belarus is certainly a country of talented people. Conditions are in place in the country to discover and foster creative potential."

"Popular belief holds that in today’s world there is no place for national cultures, and that they are being replaced by the global one. I think this is not true. Every nation has its own coordinate system, the course of development predetermined by its historical experience and national culture. Through the prism of this experience and culture we perceive the world. Whether we join economic alliances, assimilate technology, or commune with the world culture, we still perceive everything through ourselves. This enables us to survive, “digest”, if you will, globalization and assimilate only the things that strengthen us."

"The notion of culture comprises not only folklore, theaters, art schools, literature, cinema, and festivals. It also includes technology-intensive production, wise land use, respect for nature, law, and traditions. Finally, it is the spiritual core which helped our people hold out against the most challenging ordeals."