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On September 8, 1996, the first Republican festival-fair of the village workers "Dazhynki" was held in Stolin. The President personally congratulated the harvest heroes on their labor victory and presented them with well-deserved prizes. This is how the tradition of honoring grain growers and summing up the harvest campaign was established in sovereign Belarus. In this release of BELTA's YouTube project "In fact: Solutions of the First", we will tell you how cities are changing thanks to "Dazhynki", why the festival has become a brand of the country, and what, according to the President, characterizes advanced economies.

How Belarusians celebrated the autumn harvest festival in ancient times

The autumn harvest festival has existed in Belarus since ancient times. It was called "Bagach". Each region of the country celebrated it according to its traditions. But everywhere there was one main symbol — a connected sheaf of ears. It was placed in the "red" corner next to the icons. And stored until the next harvest. In Belarus, even a commemorative coin was issued dedicated to this national holiday. Today, you can see the ritual traditions in the "Dudutki" and in the Museum of Architecture and Everyday Life in the Lake. "Dazhynki", in fact, have already become a modern celebration of the autumn harvest. With its own traditions and approaches.

"Dazhynki" is, figuratively speaking, the finest hour for the grain grower. And also a good holiday for all the people. The tradition of celebrating the completion of the harvest came to us from ancient times. The profession of a grain grower has been revered on our land at all times. And in the human idea of a prosperous life, the wise expression that bread is the head of everything has forever been fixed. If there is bread, there will be songs. This holiday is doubly valuable for us. And as a tribute to our ancestors, and as an opportunity to say sincere words of gratitude to all those who worked tirelessly in the field. There is another remarkable feature of this holiday: the large-scale arrangement and truly revival of those places that have won the right to host the Republican festival-Fair of village workers," the head of state drew attention to the Republican festival—Fair of village workers "Dazhynki-2011" in Molodechno.

What decorated Molodechno for "Dazhynki" in 2011

The cities where the "Dazhynki" take place are really changing, flourishing. In 2011, the Republican Festival hosted Molodechno. In order to properly organize the holiday, local authorities studied Lida's experience. There "Dazhynki" took place a year earlier. It was important to understand what to focus on, what to pay attention to.

"The young people really like the ponds and fountains that we made in the park. In addition, during the preparation period of Dazhynak, we repaired 17 streets, more than 240 houses, reconstructed the Rodina cinema, and made Prytytsky Street pedestrian. Now we call it "our favorite Broadway," said Lyudmila Kananovich, chairman of the Molodechno District Council of Deputies.

In 2011, a kindergarten, an amphitheater and a sports and entertainment center were opened in Molodechno.

"They say in our Molodechno district that this is our ice rink. The ice arena, swimming pool, bowling alley and sports grounds have become the favorite places of the young people. The amphitheater has also become a long-awaited object. Because the Molodechno brand is the National Festival of Belarusian Song and Poetry "Molodechno". And we needed such a venue for the annual festival," Lyudmila Kananovich noted.
What role do the objects built for the "Dazhynki" play in the life of young people

We will tell you more about the sports and entertainment center and the amphitheater. After 13 years, they play an important role in the life of the city. In the concert hall of the amphitheater with an area of 300 sq.m. concerts are held every Sunday in summer.

"Our favorite National Festival of Belarusian Song and Poetry Molodechno annually welcomes all Belarusian pop artists. It is always a significant forum in the life of our country. Artists are always happy to come and perform on the stage of our amphitheater. We are proud that Russian pop stars Mikhail Shufutinsky, Nadezhda Kadysheva, Grigory Leps also performed at our venue," said Margarita Shityko, Deputy Director of the Molodechno Palace of Culture.
More than 400 children train at the sports and entertainment center. They play basketball, volleyball, handball, swimming and tennis.

"There are 110 people in the basketball department, 147 in volleyball, 170 in handball. In addition to conducting children's classes, we provide services to the public. This is a massive ice skating, a visit to the pool with elements of an aqua park, a dry steam bath, as well as a gym. Competitions in mini-football, basketball, volleyball and handball are held," said Maria Klemyatich, Deputy Director for Core Activities of the IOC Sports School Olympic 2011.
The local children's hospital has been renovated. New equipment was purchased. During the "Dazhynak" the President visited there. By the way, next year the medical institution will celebrate its seventieth anniversary.

"The most important thing for the young people was that after the reconstruction, mothers with their children could stay in comfortable wards in the hospital. I remember after the visit of the head of state the wish to all hospital employees to preserve what has been done. This is such a good message," Lyudmila Kananovich assured.

Why did the format of "Dazhynak" change in 2014

In 2014, it was decided to change the format of "Dazhynak". The Republican festival-fair was held in early autumn. And when awarding the best, only the results of grain harvesting were taken into account. But at this time, some important cultures for the country have not yet been removed. It was decided to hold "Dazhynki" on the basis of agro-towns and regional centers. This made it possible to put in order as many settlements as possible.

"I'm looking at these guys — simple combine harvesters. It's 33 degrees outside... And here they are in this heat, poor people, suffering, cleaning this bread. Today and tomorrow we will finish harvesting grain crops. These people should be encouraged," the President said, answering journalists' questions in August 2022.

"We will support the guys for the harvesting campaign. They are doing well," the Belarusian leader stressed.

Alexander Lukashenko recalled that the country has abandoned the practice of organizing "Dazhynki" at the Presidential level and awarding everyone at one point. Now each region chooses a district, and each district chooses the farm where the holiday takes place. "Thus, we are putting two dozen points in order. After all, they are preparing for the "Dazhynki"," he noted.

Tractor driver Alexander Stefanovich has been working in agriculture for ten years. Four years in a row among the foremost. After the army, he decided to stay in his native village. Although the city is only 20 km away. Like many working people, he is modest. He talks about his victories with restraint.
"Yes, we are used to it, what's the big deal here. I was at the regional "Dazhynki", last year I went to the regional ones. 2.8 thousand tons were threshed. There is excitement at the harvest," admitted Alexander Stefanovich.

What does Lukashenko call one of the priorities of state policy

Every year, the issue of food security is becoming more urgent and acute. On the one hand, natural disasters are to blame: frosts, floods, hurricanes. On the other hand, sanctions wars. Ordinary people become hostages of economic pressure.

"We often say that the food security of the state is the cornerstone of independence. And recent events confirm this truth. Food is acquiring an important strategic status. I will say it bluntly: the dignity of the nation, the self—respect of the people, the real sovereignty of the country are unthinkable without self-sufficiency in food," the President stressed. World experience shows that highly developed and efficient agriculture is an indispensable characteristic of advanced economies. No country can be considered successful with a backward agricultural sector, the Belarusian leader expressed confidence in this at the republican festival-fair of village workers "Dazhynki-2011" in Molodechno.

This year, Alexander Lukashenko participated in the solemn ceremony honoring farmers of the Dazhynki festival-fair. The President stressed that it was the right choice to determine food security as the main priority. Today, Belarus can not only provide the domestic market, but also increase food exports. In the nineties, one could only dream of such a thing.

"Our products are well known and loved far beyond the borders of our Belarus. I will say more. In the context of illegal fascist unprecedented sanctions that have been imposed against our state in recent years, it was the export of agricultural products that gave other industries the opportunity to adapt to the new situation and reorient themselves to other markets," the President said at a solemn ceremony honoring farmers at the "Dazhynki—2024" in Mikashevichi.

"Step by step, no matter how difficult it was, every year we changed the capital of the holiday, transforming the district and regional centers. The festival has become a national project," the head of state noted the important role of Dazhynak.

Then it transformed into a large-scale government program. Agro-towns and modern dairy complexes were built. "But, in fact, the revival of the village began with our Dazhynaks," the Belarusian leader stressed. — Yes, we criticize ourselves a lot, and rightly so. However, if we face the truth, we have something to be proud of."

The work of one employee of the agro-industrial complex provides up to a dozen jobs in related industries. It all starts with the village. From those who are ready to get up at four in the morning so that there is fresh milk on the shelves in the city. From those who go out into the field at dawn so that we all have hot bread on our tables.

Today we are no longer talking about the need to "save" the village. A lot has been done to improve life in the village. We need to preserve and multiply all this.