On November, 12th, the Polotsk State University hosted the presentation of the first five books of the facsimile edition The Book Heritage of Skaryna.

The project on facsimile re-edition of F. Skaryna’s complete set of works is initiated and carried out by the National Library of Belarus and the BelVEB Bank. The project, timed to the 500th anniversary of Belarusian book-printing, is to be carried out between 2013 and 2017. In 2013, the first five books appeared to become winners of the 2nd degree Diploma in nomination “Art-book” of the 11th International contest of the CIS member countries “The Art of Book”.

Representatives of cultural, scientific and education institutions of the Vitebsk Region took part in the presentation.

At the event director of the National Library of Belarus R.S. Motulsky told to the audience about the project having noted that the translations of the Bible made by F. Skaryna were the unique phenomenon of both Belarusian and East-Slavic cultures as a whole.

For the first time in the history, the multivolume facsimile edition will allow to collect the complete set of books printed by Francysk Skaryna in Prague and Vilnius. The collection is based on the first printer’s books which are kept today in libraries and museums of Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Germany and other countries. The facsimile edition recreates with the maximal completeness the books of Francysk Skaryna. All the editions are accompanied with comments of scientists and also translations of Francysk Skaryna’s forewords and epilogues into modern Belarusian, Russian and English languages. This facsimile will acquaint the wide public with one of the most valuable treasures of Belarusian book culture.

During the event R.S. Motulsky presented as a gift sets of the first five books of the facsimile edition The Book Heritage of Skorina to public libraries of the Vitebsk Regiona and the Polotsk State University.