On May 15, an online conference of the 16th International Book Readings dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the Zhirovich Monastery and Library was held.

This year's Book Readings were a real-time video conference with the option to ask speakers any questions and watch video reports. Interested bibliographers from different countries applied for participation and sent in texts of reports. More than 100 participants from Belarus, Lithuania, Poland, Russia and Ukraine registered on the library portal. Scientists sent about 60 articles for publication in the conference proceedings. It is important that after broadcasting the International Book Readings video will be available on the library portal.

Welcoming remarks at the opening of the scientific forum were made by:

Mr Yuri Bondar, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor;

Mr Roman Motulsky, Director General of the National Library of Belarus, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor;

Mr Aleksandr Slesarev, Vice-Rector for Scientific and Theological Work of the Minsk Theological Academy and Seminary, candidate of theological sciences, associate professor.

For many decades, the National Library of Belarus has successfully gathered, studied and popularized Belarusian and world book heritage and thus ensured the spiritual and intellectual succession of generations, the transfer of fundamental values and ideals, created conditions for the enrichment of internal peace and disclosure of the creative potential of the wide range of its users. International Book Readings have been contributing to this noble mission for three decades already.

It is symbolic that this year the Readings are dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the founding of the famous Zhirovichi Monastery and Library. The monasteries have long served as centers of culture and literature – here books were rewritten and printed, the first libraries and schools were created. The Zhirovichi Monastery, built at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries on the site of the miraculous appearance of the icon of the Mother of God, never closed and over a long history of its existence has become a major spiritual center for the Belarusian people. Christian spiritual ideals and shrines inspired authors to fruitful work. For five centuries, the best examples of the book, art, music culture and intellectual monuments of our people were created and stored at the Zhirovichi Monastery. Secular and clerical educational institutions also operated there.

The program of the event included more than 60 reports on the following thematic blocks:

Book Culture of the Zhirovichi Monastery
Manuscript Literature
Historic Book Collections
Printed Book of the 16th – 18th Centuries
Belarusian Book of the 19th – 20th Centuries
The Book in a Modern Sociocultural Environment

The XVI International Book Readings have traditionally brought together scholars and specialists who study book monuments, the most important component of the country's cultural and informational potential. The ancient traditions of Belarusian writing and printing are vivid evidence of the high development of the national culture. At the same time, remaining a valuable source for studying our past, Belarusian literature is becoming the basis for the dynamic development of national culture at the present stage.

Bibliology Research Department

You can watch the broadcast here