Archaeological artifacts, problems of restoration and conservation of architectural monuments, the use of virtual reality technologies in museums, artificial intelligence, and other issues were discussed at the International Scientific and Practical Conference "Protection and Popularization of Cultural Heritage: World and Domestic Experience," which took place at VSU named after P.M. Masherov.

 More than a hundred scientists, museum workers, archaeologists, and researchers from different cities of Belarus and Russia took part in the discussion.

– The popularization of cultural heritage occupies an important place in the structure of national interests of Belarus and Russia. This is an area of humanitarian security, which is enshrined in the constitutions of our countries, – emphasized Vadim Lakiza, Director of the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, who, together with the Department of Culture of the Regional Executive Committee and the scientific and educational center "Spadchyna Vitsebskaya zyamli," organized the conference.

The participants of the meeting exchanged their developments in this field, and discussed the most pressing issues requiring joint efforts to improve legislation.

It is symbolic, noted Denis Yurchak, chief specialist of the Department of Culture of the Regional Executive Committee, that the conference is timed to coincide with the day of remembrance of ancestors. The scientific forum is thematically related to history and traditional folk customs.

– The issues submitted for discussion are of great importance for the formation of citizenship and patriotism in the younger generation, which should be educated on the experience of their ancestors. During the conference, a presentation of the Bank of Information on the Historical and Cultural Heritage of Belarus was held, which will be available to all users from January 2026. The electronic resource will feature photographs and brief descriptions of monuments. For specialists, more detailed information will be provided, – explained Denis Yurchak.

One of the pressing issues is the protection of archaeological heritage and the fight against illegal searching and trafficking of artifacts. The Vitebsk region ranks first in the republic in terms of the number of burial mounds and ancient settlements, which attract the attention of illegal diggers. There is currently no clear mechanism to prevent the plundering of such sites. Legislation needs to be improved. This was emphasized by the conference participants. The issue of preserving cult crosses and stones, which should not lose their archaeological, ethnographic, and cultural contexts when transferred to museums, was raised.

– Debates often arise regarding destroyed architectural monuments: whether to preserve ruins or restore them using modern technologies. The Dukhovskoy Kruglik in Vitebsk can serve as a good example. During its construction, authentic foundations of a 14th-century castle tower were discovered, which were framed by a stylized old-fashioned structure, – Denis Yurchak emphasized.

During the discussion, the prospects of Belarusian heritage on the UNESCO list were touched upon, in particular, the preservation, use, and promotion of such monuments that have world value and are of great importance for the development of tourism.

Special attention was paid to the protection of military burials and the historical memory of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. In terms of the number of monuments and mass graves, the Vitebsk region surpasses its neighbors and sets an example of care for such sites.

As part of the conference, a ceremony was held to hand over a valuable parcel – a handful of earth from the homeland of Soviet soldier S. Orazbaev, a native of the Abay region of Kazakhstan, who died liberating the Vitebsk region during the Great Patriotic War and was buried near the village of Bukstyny.

– This year, search parties from Kazakhstan participated in the Watch of Memory, which took place in the Mogilev region. They asked to transfer earth from their countryman's homeland to the Vitebsk region, – explained Sergey Zhizhian, director of the Bykhov District Historical and Local Lore Museum of the Mogilev Region.

It is planned to scatter the earth over the warrior's grave.

vitebsk-region.gov.by