Home where the soul lives: Minsk boarding house "Harmony" - 65 years

Minsk City Social Boarding House “Harmony” is 65 years old. But the main wealth of this institution, as sounded at the anniversary evening at the Belgosconcert on October 7, is not walls, but the soul that lives in every employee and every resident. The anniversary brought together those who daily give care, love and hope, the correspondent of the agency “Minsk-Novosti”.

From the stage were words of gratitude, memories of the past and confidence in the future:

65 years is a whole era, woven from a thousand destinies, warmed hearts, kind smiles. "Harmony" is a house where warmth is surrounded. Caring is not just a job, it is a true calling, a rare ability to share a part of your soul every day. Over the years, the boarding house has become a real stronghold of mercy, love and true harmony of human souls.

Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Protection Marina Artemenko congratulated the team and stressed that the anniversary is always the time to take stock and look to the future with confidence.

- This institution is widely known not only in Minsk, but also abroad, because the work that you have built is expensive. Today, the entire system of social policy is built so that our institutions are not just boarding schools, but cozy, warm houses with beautiful names. Whatever you call a ship, it will sail. The beautiful name “Harmony” suggests that everything is really in harmony.

Mm. Artemenko recalled that the institution has come a serious way: from a boarding school of a psychoneurological profile to a modern social boarding school. Today, all conditions are created here not only for care and medical care, but also for creativity, leisure, warmth.

- This boarding house has a soul. It is expressed in unique author projects: orchestra, choir, consisting entirely of living, art workshops. You will not sing or paint if you do not feel if your soul does not hurt, she said.

She wished the team further unity for the benefit of common tasks and presented the awards of the Ministry for many years of fruitful work, high professionalism and significant personal contribution to the development of the state system of social protection of the population.

Words of gratitude were also heard from the Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Service of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, Priest Roman Artyomov:

- It is a great honor for us, representatives of the Orthodox Church, to be here today, among people whose hearts are full of love, mercy and patience. You've been warming hearts for 65 years. If you have the strength and inner resources to warm these hearts, then each of you has made the right choice.

He conveyed words of gratitude and blessings from Vladyka Veniamin, and also presented certificates of the Belarusian Orthodox Church to the staff of the boarding house.

Chairman of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the Minsk City Executive Committee Peter Shutko recalled the history of the institution:

- From the small building, which in 1961 housed 100 people, around there were sandy lands and no plantings, grew a serious institution - one of the best in Minsk.

He noted that a huge building with 430 seats was recently commissioned, and the team managed to create coziness, comfort and warmth in a short time, breathe life into the stone walls.

- What we saw at the opening, and what we see now, is truly what social institutions should strive for. The forms of work that are used here deserve respect and continuity, said P. Schutko.

He also noted that representatives of this team have repeatedly become winners in the nomination “Minskan of the Year”, and this tradition has been preserved this year.

P. Jokingly presented the awards of the Minsk City Executive Committee and the City Council.

The celebration ended with warm wishes to all those involved in the life of Harmony.

Photo by Sergei Pozhi