On July 13, Vitebsk /Alexander Sam - BELTA/. The international arts festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" has become a branded platform, and participation in it is an honour for Russian artists. This was stated today by the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Andrey Busigin, at the "Star Hour" dedicated to the Day of Russian Culture – a traditional press conference for the festival with celebrities, as reported by a BELTA correspondent. The Deputy Minister of Culture noted that Russian performers have been participating in the festival since its inception, and their performances have always been successful. In this regard, Andrey Busigin cited the triumph of the performance by the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble at the festival's opening concert. In Vitebsk, according to him, artists of both traditional and innovative directions can realise their potential. In turn, People's Artist of Russia, Artistic Director and Director of the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble, Elena Shcherbakova, noted that the creative team is participating in the festival for the second time and gladly accepted the invitation. "It is symbolic that we visited the festival for the first time 10 years ago. We would like to come to Vitebsk more often. For us, coming to Belarus is a celebration. We are delighted by how Belarusians treat their country, by the cleanliness and beauty of your land, and by your friendliness," she said. Elena Shcherbakova announced her desire to organise tours for the ensemble in Belarusian cities. Today, the XXI International Arts Festival "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" features the Day of Russian Culture. Performances will be given by the world-renowned collective – the Igor Moiseyev State Academic Folk Dance Ensemble, Honoured Artist of Russia Leonid Serebrennikov, and Boris Moiseyev. -0-

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