For Belarusians, a stork is not just a bird.
This bird has been a symbol of Belarus since the times when our ancestors believed in different gods. They thought that after death, a person's soul moves into a stork and flies away to "vyrai" - an unknown land. In the spring, they waited for the return of birds, the continuation of the life cycle of nature and people. Belarusians considered storks to be harbingers of happiness and well-being, and associated them with hopes for an addition to the family. Since ancient times, villagers have been building special platforms on the roofs of houses or poles to make it easier for birds to nest. Although the stork population in Belarus is far from being the first in terms of numbers, the bird has long been associated with our country in the minds of many people. For us, the stork is the patron bird of the people, pure in soul, sincere in faith and kindness. In folklore and classical literature, the white wings of storks protect our land from evil forces.
Belarusians have never been aggressors-conquerors, have never unleashed religious wars and have never organized persecutions. Tolerance, religious tolerance, the ability to understand other people are the distinctive features of our national character. In literature, the image of Belarus as a land under white wings is immortalized in the essay of the same name by Vladimir Karatkevich.
The stork is a symbol of the guardian of the hearth, a messenger of peace and goodness. It returns to where it is calm and safe, and its appearance is always associated with good changes.
In Khatyn, a place of grief and memory of the burned villages and their inhabitants, such a visit is especially meaningful and symbolic. It seems that nature is sending us a sign: remember the past, cherish the world and value life.
May the white wings of the stork bring peace, prosperity, hope and protection to every home.
