On July 25, Vitebsk /Diana Kurilo - BELTA/. Over 300 young people from six countries will come to Vitebsk for the X Orthodox Youth Festival "Odigitria", the diocesan department for youth affairs of the Vitebsk-Orsha Diocese informed a BELTA correspondent. Orthodox youth from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Macedonia, and the USA will attend the festival, which will commence on July 31. The festival's concept is based on the principle that creativity is a gift from God the Creator to man, a sign that he is created in the image and likeness of God, and that the highest form of creativity – the creation of one's own life – is most fully revealed to young people, which is why the festival is dedicated to their creativity. The festival programme is rich not only in spiritual events, meetings with clergy, and liturgies, but also in educational activities. These include master classes of the bell ringers' school, on women's hairstyles in the traditions of Western Belarus, belt weaving, and clay modelling. On one of the days, the camp will host a choreography evening with master classes in dances of ancient Belarus and world peoples, as well as the art project "Brotherhood Round Dance" and a youth ball with the participation of guests of the celebration – historical reenactment clubs. Excursions around Vitebsk and to the Holy Assumption Monastery of Polotsk are planned for the guests. On August 3, the festival's gala concert "Odigitria" will be held on the stage of the Summer Amphitheatre, featuring the winners of the competition programme. On August 5, the festival participants will go on a procession to Smolensk, where on August 9, a celebration in honour of the "Odigitria" icon of the Mother of God will take place, and the Vitebsk festival will conclude. The festival is organised by the association of Orthodox youth of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, the Vitebsk diocesan department for youth affairs, the Alexander Nevsky Brotherhood, the Alexander Nevsky Lavra of St. Petersburg, the Slavic Youth Union, and the culture department of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee. The festival is held within the framework of the cooperation agreement between the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Secretariat of the Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly.-0-

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