Olympic Day in the rhythm of best Olympic traditions

The Olympic Day festival was ceremonially opened at Dinamo Stadium, with the participation of President of the National Olympic Committee of Belarus Viktor Lukashenko, Minsk Mayor Vladimir Kukharev and CEO of A1 company Helmut Duhs.

Viktor Lukashenko noted that he is happy to see everyone at the traditional Olympic Day which this year is held in a new format, jointly with A1 company, the Minsk City Executive Committee, the Sports Ministry, and other partners:

“This new format has already won over both residents and guests of the capital. Twelve days ago, we kicked off the sports and charity marathon with a training session featuring our renowned athletes at the NOC. Today, we are opening the final stage. The goal of our project was to collect 1,000,000 ‘minutes of kindness’. We achieved that several days ago, and now the number is already much higher. This proves that our country, our sport, and our people are moving forward, and we have a bright future ahead. Dear friends, Dinamo Stadium offers you a wide range of sports facilities and plenty of spaces for recreation. I wish everyone, adults, children, and families alike, a great time. Please, join our event. Let your participation be as vibrant as today’s weather. May the heat not deter you but, on the contrary, inspire you to move even more and take up sports with enthusiasm, energy, and a positive spirit,” Viktor Lukashenko said.

Vladimir Kukharev thanked all the organizers of the event:

“Such sporting events provide new opportunities to learn more about sports and spark a fresh wave of interest among children who then sign up for sprots sections. Who knows perhaps in the future, one of them will become a new champion.”

Helmut Duhs emphasized that this large-scale nationwide project brings many people together:

“This is our joint sports celebration. We are grateful to the NOC of Belarus and are pleased to be part of the team. This is a large-scale project spanning the entire country that unites many. Enjoy yourselves and join us in playing sports.”

The Olympic Day sports festival is held in this format for the first time, Vice-President of the NOC of Belarus Dmitry Dovgalenok said:


“The event attracts not only children and young people but also engages more adult participants. The million 'minutes of kindness' were collected ahead of schedule. This means that together with A1, we hit the mark as people are ready to engage. They love sport and are passionate about it. They want to help. The venue features over 20 sports, with representatives from federations and coaches present. Both children and parents can try out the activities on site, receive consultations and advice on choosing a sport, and sign up for sections. We have long been promoting this approach.”


Dinamo Stadium in Minsk has a rich history of hosting major sporting events, making the celebration of Olympic Day at this venue a major milestone for the Belarusian capital.

“It is no coincidence that the Dinamo Stadium was selected as the venue for Olympic Day. As the NOC celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, hosting the festival at this stadium makes perfect sense. For anyone committed to a healthy lifestyle, this spot in the city center is a true landmark,” Maksim Voropai, head of the Minsk City Executive Committee’s sports department, noted.

Participants actively completed challenges at the various activity zones to earn “minutes of kindness.”

Those attending Olympic Day at Dinamo Stadium shared their impressions of the event, praising the excellent organization, the cool interactive stations, and the festival’s vibrant sporting vibe.

“We actually prepared in advance to come to the activity zones today. The vibe at Dinamo is amazing, just like at the Vytoki festival in Kostyukovichi.”

Four-time Olympic champion Darya Domracheva highlighted the vibrant atmosphere of Olympic Day in Minsk.

According to her, the celebration in its new format at the historic Dinamo Stadium venue is truly inspiring.

“Seeing the faces of the children as they completed the activity zones brings so much joy. It is wonderful that sport continues to unite people and inspire them to do good deeds – that is exactly how it should always be. Today, we are doing important work in a festive atmosphere, helping children in need while being in a great mood,” Darya Domracheva said. “So many disciplines are brought together in one place today. The children can choose the one that resonates most with them, and our athletes will help them along the way. Sport is one of the best human activities: it nurtures the new generation and develops essential qualities like willpower, patriotism, honesty, and respect.”

Darya Domracheva visited several activity zones with great interest and tried her hand at basketball.

Belarus’ NOC President Viktor Lukashenko and A1 CEO Helmut Duhs presented a certificate based on the collected “minutes of kindness” to the Touch of Life charity foundation.

From June 15 to 27, anyone could log their workouts through the app, with the active time being converted into “minutes of kindness.” The funds raised by Belarusians during the campaign will be directed to support, rehabilitation, and treatment programs for children with severe illnesses.

Additional prizes were won by the top 200 participants in the overall standings, as well as the project’s strongest teams, who received wireless headphones, speakers, and power banks. The top 15 individual participants were awarded special Huawei brand prizes from A1.

The sports festival at Minsk’s Dinamo Stadium concluded with a concert by the Dabro band and the Police in Paris duo. The cultural program of Olympic Day drew more than 9,000 spectators to the arena. In total, over 10,000 participants joined this massive sports festival.

Press service of the NOC of Belarus

Photos by the NOC of Belarus