«Half a century of the museum’s work has become the impetus for launching new initiatives that are planned to become annual hallmarks in the future,» said Aleksei Safronov, head of communications at the museum,.

«This year, many events are held here for the first time. We are hosting wonderful companies from many regions of Belarus. The Belarusian bagpipe is a wonderful occasion to remember our authentic instruments and to see that they are alive. The instrument has been granted the status of an intangible historical and cultural value, and we hope that in the future the Belarusian bagpipe will be added to the UNESCO World Heritage list. This would be a great contribution to the development of national culture,» Aleksei Safronov emphasized.

The concert program Feel the Voice of the Belarusian Land! brought together the best bagpipers from across the country, hailing from Minsk, Molodechno, Grodno, Rakov, Shchomyslitsa, and Soligorsk. 

Sergei Yaruk, head of the exemplary folk music company Samagudy from Molodechno, emphasized that young people’s interest in their roots is only growing today. 

«The company includes children from 8 to 18 years old, and even those who have already entered colleges continue to come to rehearsals. We play traditional Belarusian bagpipes, pipes, and zhaleikas. The Belarusian bagpipe is an instrument with a special soul and character. In our country, the culture of making and playing the bagpipe is at the highest level. It is very important not just to preserve this melody, but also to pass on the experience to children. That is how national identity is preserved,» Sergei Yaruk noted. 

Craft fairs, lecture halls, and workshops on playing traditional instruments were also set up on the museum grounds.

One of the founders of the movement for the revival of Belarusian instrumental tradition, ethnographer, artist, and master craftsman Ales Los admitted that today is a double celebration for him.

«In addition to participating in today’s festival, this year I am celebrating a personal milestone — 45 years since I made my first bagpipe. Today, it is important not just to preserve, but to develop our heritage. It is great that this theme has gained momentum as we are planning roundtables and conferences. We want to popularize and develop it, so that as many Belarusians as possible learn about the things that lie at the foundation of our traditions. It is very important that the project is acquiring a national scale, because our music and traditions are our character, our identity, and the face of Belarusians,» Ales Los said. 

The musical event was co-located with the Literary Vernissage on the museum grounds. Festival guests participated in public talks and autograph sessions with members of the Belarusian Writers’ Union and exchanged books at a bookcrossing zone. Renowned Belarusian poet and Honored Cultural Worker of the Republic of Belarus Naum Galperovich presented his new works, including a book dedicated to China titled Under One Sky.«Summer is a time for discovering history and culture. It is wonderful that in such a picturesque place, books, music, and folklore have come together. Meeting readers is always a responsibility. Today, we speak about our word, read poems dedicated to Belarus and our native language, introducing all museum guests to the roots of Belarusian culture,» Naum Galperovich noted. 

The festival offered a rich program for visitors of all ages: interactive zones, a foam party and flash mobs for children, themed photo areas, and gastronomic venues. The evening program concluded with a folk-etno rave.The event attracted numerous guests from all over the country. For many, a visit to Ozertso has become a cherished family tradition. Tatiana, a Minsk resident who came to the festival with her husband and three children on her birthday, noted the importance of raising young people on national traditions.

«I work as a teacher of Belarusian language and literature, and when I saw the festival poster, I decided that we absolutely had to celebrate my birthday here. We came here with the whole family, with our children: Pavel, who is thirteen, Maria, who is nine, and Saveliy, who is six. I believe it is important to show our culture to children from a very early age. If we don’t teach them, don’t bring them to such wonderful celebrations, don’t show them all the beauty and uniqueness of our country, they won’t come to know it. The children really enjoy it here. The program is rich and interesting,» Tatiana said.

The organizers hope that the combined format of the music and literature festival will become a permanent one and will attract even more visitors, including foreign tourists.