Dear residents of the Dvina region! Ancient Polotsk is celebrating the 1150th anniversary of its first chronicle mention in the "Tale of Bygone Years". Polotsk is the cradle of Belarusian statehood. It is called the "father of Belarusian cities," which laid the foundation for the creation of Belarusian statehood, the unity of its political, economic, and ethnic structure. The prototype of the Belarusian nation was born here. Polotsk is the spiritual center of the Eastern Slavs. In 992, the third Orthodox diocese in the ancient Russian lands, after Kyiv and Novgorod, was founded. Since then, Christianity in White Rus' has been counting its history, playing a huge role in uniting Slavic peoples, and shaping our civilization and culture. The Dvina region is inextricably linked with the name of the great enlightener Euphrosyne of Polotsk, one of the first women canonized in the Eastern Slavic lands. Her name is a national symbol of devotion to spiritual ideals and the motherland. Francysk Skaryna and Symeon of Polotsk, through their glorious deeds, prepared the city for its great mission as an educational center of the Belarusian lands. Here, in the 16th century, the Polotsk Jesuit Collegium was founded, marking the beginning of university education in Belarus. It was attended by renowned scholars of their time. The confirmation of its status as the geographical center of Europe and the unveiling of a commemorative sign became a landmark event for the city. It raised the bar for the level of improvement and the development of the city's infrastructure and culture. The Saint Sophia Cathedral, a contemporary of the cathedrals of Kyiv and Novgorod, is rightfully considered the calling card of Polotsk. The entire history of the Belarusian people and their aspiration for independence is reflected in the fate of the Polotsk Sophia. The Transfiguration Church of the Saint Euphrosyne Monastery is one of the phenomena of its era. Many modern Polotsk museums and monuments are unique: the Museum of Belarusian Book Printing, monuments to Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Prince Vseslav Bryachislavich, and a commemorative sign for the Belarusian letter "Ў". Having visited the city once, people return here again and again. It is no coincidence that in 2010, Polotsk was declared the first cultural capital of Belarus. The next step in reviving its historical and cultural heritage will be the implementation of the Concept for the Development of the City for 2012–2015.