Vytoki festival wraps up in Kobrin

On 12 June Suvorov Park, the favorite recreation place of Kobrin residents, turned into a huge site of the Vytoki festival which was already held in Lida and Orsha. Residents and guests of one of the most picturesque cities of Brest Oblast spent the day in an active and athletic way.

Children together with their parents could try their hand in football, hockey, tennis, rowing, martial arts and many other sports.

The guests of the festival were Belagroprombank, the Brest Center for Sports Medicine, the Brest Meat Plant, the Kobrin Butter and Cheese Factory, the leading enterprises of the region, including the Polesie Toy Factory, known far beyond our country.

The modern pentathlon, rowing, hockey and handball sites had long queues of those wishing to try themselves in these sports.

NOC President Viktor Lukashenko took part in the opening of the festival. He toured the sites of the festival and hailed the high level of organization of events.

Speaking to journalists, Chairman of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee Yuri Shuleiko stressed the importance of such events in the regions.

"The Vytoki festival has already been hosted by other Belarusian towns. It explores several areas: culture, history, sports and the potential of the region's development. Today Kobrin represents the whole Brest Oblast, and I am sure, it did well. After all, our region has its own brand known all over the world, namely Belovezhskaya Pushcha. We are also proud of our hardworking people. This is our potential," said Yuri Shuleko.

"We took a tour of the sites and saw many children, their yes sparkling. They were all eager to compete. I am very happy for them, for the opportunities the new generation has in sports. This is a great festival that all citizens will like. Will there be new Hlebs among them...? It is not a simple question. In my time my school hosted Belkevich and Khatskevich. For young athletes the examples of real, accomplished athletes are very important today. Little athletes, when they see that they are believed in, start developing faster. I am sure that such festival as Vytoki will contribute to this," Alexander Hleb said.

The Vytoki festival had great cultural and historical programs in Kobrin. On 10 June, the Wheel of Time exhibition and an exhibition of children's drawing opened in the local community center. Its winners were honored on the main stage of the festival.

As part of the festival, an educational seminar was held on 11 June to promote creative and innovative projects. A seminar on the Capital of the Place program t the Kobrin Butter and Cheese Factory discussed the development and promotion of national and regional brands.

"Promotion of the region relies very much on people, their involvement in the life of their town. We very much hope that the Vytoki, the seminars, which were held as part of the festival, will give an impetus to the development of Kobrin. Every town that has hosted the festival has its own signature things that should be used by the region," said Valentina Dynich, director of BelBrandAudit.

The winners and prize-winners of the singing contest were announced in a ceremony at 16.00 in the amphitheatre of Suvorov Park. The best young painting artists of the region were also rewarded.

The festival wrapped up with a gala concert on 12 June. The concert featured Janet, Belarusy band, Valery Shmat, Gunesh, Zina Kupriyanovich, Irina Dorofeeva, Jazz City Band, ByCity, Alexander Voronische. The fireworks lit up the sky after the concert.

The Vytoki sport and cultural festival will then travel to Mozyr (24-26 June), Bobruisk (15-17 July) and other cities of Belarus. The final installment of the festival will be held in Minsk in late August.

Vytoki is a Belarusian brand, a symbol that reflects the idea of the festival movement: popularize national culture, sport, history, traditions and to provide support to small towns. Admission to all festival events is free

The main objectives of the project are to create a common social and educational space, bring together people of different interests and ages, promote regional and national brands, and celebrate achievements in sports, science and art.

The organizers of the Vytoki festival are the National Olympic Committee of Belarus, the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, the Arthaos and BelBrandAudit companies.

Press service of Belarus’ NOC