May 6, Minsk /BELTA/. The Ministry of Culture of Belarus is preparing to hold the first festival of arts of Belarusians of the world during the XX International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk". This was reported to a BELTA correspondent by the press secretary of the Ministry of Culture, Anna Smolyanskaya. Minister of Culture Pavel Latushko informed about the preparations for the festival, which is scheduled to be held on July 8-9, 2011, at a meeting with leaders of public associations, representatives of Belarusian-language media and the Belarusian diaspora from Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, and Georgia. In addition, other projects will be implemented in Minsk with the participation of Belarusians from abroad: exhibitions of artists and photographers, meetings with writers living abroad. As Anna Smolyanskaya noted, Pavel Latushko and representatives of the Belarusian diaspora discussed the prospects for cooperation in the field of culture and more active participation of representatives of the Belarusian diaspora in the cultural life of Belarus. In addition, Belarusians from abroad were informed about the development of the state program "Belarusians in the World" for 2011-2015, the current state and development of culture in the country, and plans for opening Belarusian cultural centers abroad for 2011-2015. -0-

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