The day began with a solemn mass meeting. The first to be laid at the foot of the Mound of Glory was a wreath from the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.
Among the senior officials who laid flowers at the monument were Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Turchin, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Natalya Kochanova, Chairman of Minsk Regional Executive Committee Alexei Kushnarenko, as well as other officials.
State Secretary of the Security Council Alexander Volfovich conveyed the Head of State's congratulations to all those present. He recalled the unwavering courage and fortitude of Belarusians during the Great Patriotic War and urged them to never forget the heroism of our grandfathers.
A special event of the celebration was the presentation of the new book "Mound of Glory," which tells the story of the creation of the memorial dedicated to all those who sacrificed themselves for our freedom and fought on the front lines. Separate chapters are devoted to Operation Bagration and the history of Minsk Trap.
On the day of the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus, Dmitry Viltovsky, Director of SMC “Khatyn”, presented a new book to Alexei Kushnarenko, Chairman of Minsk Regional Executive Committee; Alexander Ilyasevich, Deputy Chairman of Minsk Regional Executive Committee; Alla Shakhotko, Head of the Main Directorate of Culture of Minsk Regional Executive Committee; Sergei Lapanovich, Head of Minsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Emergency Situations; Andrei Lyubimov, Head of the Internal Affairs Directorate of Minsk Regional Executive Committee; Yuri Senko, Chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions; and Nikolai Paramonov, Chairman of Smolevichi District Executive Committee.
An extensive daytime program was prepared for the memorial's guests: master classes in folk cooking and arts and crafts, tastings and sales of agricultural products, performances by creative groups, interactive areas for the Labor, Sports, and Education Committees, and demonstrations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations' special equipment. A special offer for memorial guests was the opportunity to send a free greeting card to anywhere in the country via BelPost.
The evening program at the Mound of Glory was the culmination of the celebration. A musical performance by the Presidential Orchestra and the unique video installation "The Voice of the Mound" were highlights of the evening. Thousands of people, along with Minsk Regional Executive Committee Chairman Alexei Kushnarenko, sang the Belarusian national anthem in a united expression of pride for their country. The event concluded with a massive fireworks display, symbolizing the unity and patriotism of the Belarusian people.
