Only together can we preserve our sovereignty. Experts on the importance of National Unity Day

On September 17, Belarus celebrated one of the most important holidays in the history of statehood – National Unity Day. Celebrations were held throughout the country. The Youth Forum was held in Minsk. Belarus. The future, which was addressed by President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. The importance of the Day of National Unity for Belarusians was discussed by experts on the program “Editors Club” on the TV channel “Belarus 1”.

The presenter of the program, Chairman of Belteleradiocompany Ivan Eismont noted:

- What was this holiday for? I believe that this date should have been marked and allocated so that we could preserve our state in the future, when the next generation comes after us. Unfortunately, not all young people understand the significance of this event, why Belarusians were separated and how it could end. I want to say once again that the Poles consider half of our country their territory and dream of returning it to Poland.

Ivan Eismont stressed that the Poles will do everything for this.

- Without our national unity, they will do so, he added.

Chairman of the Belarusian Union of Journalists, General Director of the Minsk-Novosti Agency Andrey Krivosheev stressed:

In my opinion, the President’s speech to the youth is a concentrated manifesto of national, national and state unity from Alexander Lukashenko. When I listened to this speech, the first thing that caught my eye was Sergei Osipovich Pritytsky’s speech at the People’s Congress of Western Belarus in October 1939. And Sergei Osipovich also said: Give Belarusians a chance and an opportunity to live in a united Soviet country, and you will not recognize this country in a few years. Grigory Azarenok, a political columnist for the TV channel STV, in turn noted:

The existence of the Belarusian state within its borders is a reality that the Poles will have to come to terms with. The Belarusian state is a reality forever. No one else will divide us.

Information Minister Dmitry Zhuk stressed:

- This holiday was returned on time. It is no secret that the younger generation of Belarusians, especially those born during the years of independence of our country, feel themselves exclusively citizens of Belarus. Sociology has confirmed that. And what the President told young people, the questions he put before them to think about their future. There was a reference to the “peace” treaty, when half the country was turned into a reservation. The western territory of Belarus was a concentration camp. Will they allow (young people)? Are there people who will allow this scenario to happen again? That's how I heard the question. Thank goodness these young people have a clear understanding that they can determine their future. No one will do that for them. Whether they retain that opportunity in the years to come is up to them. And this is the key meaning of the holiday - only in a single state, in the unity of the people, we are able to preserve our sovereignty. The President’s speech is a key message to the younger generation.

Olga Shpilevskaya, Chairman of the Belarusian Women’s Union, Director of the Mir Representative Office in Belarus, drew attention to the atmosphere that prevailed at the events dedicated to the Day of National Unity:

- In the eyes of people there was an awareness of the importance of the holiday. For 18 years, from 1921 to 1939, a whole generation grew up, which tried to erase the Belarusianness inside. They were taught in Polish, mothers did not sing lullabies to their children in their native language, they tried to make them people without a nation. During this time, no one knocked out of them the spirit of Belarusianness, the realization that they are Belarusians. What a spirit of the Belarusian people! We are always Belarusian and we have been through a lot. The younger generation must understand, feel and know this. In 1921, dividing our territory into two was easy, and reunification was extremely difficult. The territories were reunited because there was the will of the people, there were uprisings, people wanted to unite. In order not to repeat the year 1921, when it was easy to divide us, the youth must remember and understand that it is they who will continue to preserve this unity.