On June 14, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. You can run barefoot, play the bagpipes, and then sing with a huge choir at the jubilee, 45th International Festival of Traditional Culture "Braslavskie Zarnitsy-2012". On the eve of the festival opening, Galina Korotkova, Head of the Culture Department of the Braslav District Executive Committee, informed a BELTA correspondent about this. The organizers have tried to ensure that both children and adults find something to their liking at this festival, so that everyone leaves with a piece of Braslav hospitality and love for national culture and traditions in their hearts. "Braslavskie Zarnitsy-2012" will take place over three days - from June 15 to 17. The central event of the first day of the festival will be the work of the creative laboratory "Etno-musical Treasure Chest of Braslavshchyna". Anyone can attend a master class on playing ethnic cimbalom and Belarusian dudka - bagpipes. The second day of "Zarnitsy" will be marked by meetings with local writers and the theatrical festival "Narodnae Slova Rodnaga Kraiu" (The People's Word of the Native Land), dedicated to the Year of Books. On the same day, a choral assembly will be held, which will bring together about 300 people - choirs from Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. In the evening, all guests of the festival will be invited to participate in authentic rituals of Braslavshchyna. Further acquaintance with local traditions will continue in an unusual way - with a barefoot race. It turns out that running competitions have existed among Belarusians since ancient times. These are exactly what they will try to recreate at "Braslavskie Zarnitsy". The culmination of the festival of traditional culture will be the final day, when a choir of almost five hundred people will perform the unofficial anthem of Braslavshchyna - the song "Braslavski Krai" by local authors. This is far from a complete list of events. Guests can also expect a "Water Fairy Tale" on Lake Drivyaty and a pop concert at the city stadium, a round table with the heads of delegations and ensembles. A children's plein air "Journey through the Paths of Creativity with 'Charunem Braslavskim'" will be held, and a memorial plaque will be unveiled to Otto Gedeman, a Polish-Belarusian historian, local historian, and educator. Representatives from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Venezuela, Azerbaijan, and Estonia are expected to participate in the festival. A delegation from Turkey is also planned to participate. As Galina Korotkova noted, during the festival days, the population of Braslav doubles, not only due to participants but also due to numerous tourists. -0-

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