On July 12, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. The star of Lev Leshchenko was unveiled today on the Alley of Laureates of the special prize of the President of Belarus "Through Art - to Peace and Mutual Understanding" at the XXI International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk", reports BELTA correspondent. As emphasized at the ceremony by the Minister of Culture of Belarus, Pavel Latushko, anything we say about this person would be insufficient. "He is a legendary figure for the cultures of our peoples, a person who, with his art, his amazing talent, unites peoples, erasing borders between states and people, uniting all of us with his creativity," the minister noted. He expressed confidence that for our peoples, Lev Leshchenko will always be a significant figure in art and a beloved artist. Warm words of congratulation were also expressed to Lev Leshchenko by the Chairman of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, Viktor Nikolaykin. "This is a momentous event. For several generations, people have been captivated by your songs. They are heard in our homes, at celebrations, on grand stages because the people truly love them," said the Mayor of Vitebsk, adding that from today onwards, Lev Leshchenko is considered a resident of Vitebsk. "Today's event is a great honor for me," said Lev Leshchenko in turn. "We live in one space: we watch the same films, read the same literature, listen to the same music. I would like this integration, this connection between our peoples, to never be broken, so that we never forget all the good things that unite us." People's Artist of Russia Lev Leshchenko is the recipient of the Lenin Komsomol Prize, the Order of Friendship of Peoples, the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree, and other significant awards for his contribution to the development of art. The artist successfully combines his rich creative activity with teaching: for over 10 years, he has been teaching at the Gnesins Russian Academy of Music, and many of Lev Leshchenko's students have become famous pop artists (Katya Lel, Marina Khlebnikova, Varvara, etc.). In previous years, during the festival, stars were unveiled in honor of People's Artist of the USSR Igor Luchenok, the ensemble "Pesniary" and its founder Vladimir Mulyavin, composers Andrei Petrov, Alexandra Pakhmutova, and performers Alla Pugacheva, Sofia Rotaru, and Valery Leontiev.