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City in Homyel region hosts 2010 Belarusian Written Language Festival

The 2010 Belarusian Written Language Festival took place in Khoyniki, a city of some 13,000 in a Chernobyl-affected area in the Homyel region, on September 5, BelaPAN reports.

The opening speech was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Uladzimir Patupchyk. Other speakers included Alyaksandr Yakabson, chairman of the Homyel Regional Executive Committee, and Alyaksandr Bichan, chairman of the Khoyniki District Executive Committee.

Officials also read out Alyaksandr Lukashenka's message on the occasion of the event, which he described as a "traditional festival that emphasizes the need to preserve and develop our people's rich cultural heritage and spiritual wealth."

A 19th-century estate building was opened after a renovation in the framework of the festival. The local history museum is expected to move into the building soon.

Khoyniki, which was first mentioned in historical records in 1512, had been picked as the venue of this year's festival "on the instructions" of Mr. Lukashenka.

The population of the Khoyniki district has dropped by half since the 1986 Chernobyl accident.