A book about famous native scientists, "Honour of Our Land" ("Гонар нашага краю"), has been published in Postavy during the Year of Small Motherland. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by Halina Chaplinskaya, Head of the Department of Ideological Work, Culture, and Youth Affairs of the Postavy District Executive Committee.
A book about famous native scientists, "Honour of Our Land" ("Гонар нашага краю"), has been published in Postavy during the Year of Small Motherland. This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by Halina Chaplinskaya, Head of the Department of Ideological Work, Culture, and Youth Affairs of the Postavy District Executive Committee.
The regional studies reference book "Honour of Our Land" ("Гонар нашага краю") is the result of research work by the staff of the Postavy District Museum of Local Lore. Native residents of the district, including Zenon Lovkis and Andrey Moiseenok, made a significant contribution to the collection of information and preparation of the book for publication. The book is written in Belarusian and was published in a print run of 300 copies, with sponsorship assistance provided by fellow natives.
According to Halina Chaplinskaya, information was initially collected for the exhibition "Honour of Our Land" ("Гонар нашага краю"), which opened during the Year of Science at the international festival "Zvinyats' Tsymbaly i Garnik" ("Звіняць цымбалы і гармонік"). The exhibition showcased scientists from the Postavy district over the past 300 years. It then became apparent that the accumulated material would be sufficient for publishing a book. The work on the book took about six months.
The reference book contains articles about natives who conducted and continue to conduct their scientific research and development in the fields of mathematics, physics, history, ethnography, astronomy, biology, medicine, law, and philology from the 18th century to the present day. Among them is Alzhbeta Puzyina (Ogińska) (lived 1700-1768). In her estate in Luchai, she organised astronomical observations and founded an astronomical observatory in Vilnius. Another pride of the district is Konstanty Tyszkiewicz (1786-1853). A researcher and ornithologist, he was a member of scientific societies and associations in Paris, Warsaw, Riga, Berlin, and Dresden. He is the author of several works and the founder of Belarusian ornithology. Boris Kit, who worked as a teacher in the Postavy district, later became one of the developers of the "Apollo" project for human space travel to Mars.
Many natives who live and work today are a source of pride for the district. There are four active corresponding members of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 10 doctors, and about 20 candidates of sciences. Many natives also work in universities in Poland, Canada, the USA, and the UK, and they maintain contact with their small motherland.
The book has been distributed to the libraries of cultural and educational institutions in the district. After the release of the first edition, many showed interest in it. It is planned to prepare a second, expanded and supplemented edition.
The book presentation will take place in June at the festival "Zvinyats' tsymbaly i harmonik".