Results of the competition "The library as a center of spiritual enlightenment and education"

On July 27, the Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl and Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus Pavel approved the results of the II Republican contest " The library as a center of spiritual enlightenment and education."

The competition was prepared and held by the Synodal Department for Religious Education and Catechesis of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, in accordance with the new edition of the Instructions, adopted on 17 March, 2016.

Co-organizers of the competition were the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Committee on Religious and Ethnic Affairs, and the National Library of Belarus.

Libraries of educational institutions subordinated to the Ministry of Education, public libraries of the Ministry of Culture and libraries subordinated to the Belarusian Exarchate took an active part in the competition.

In accordance with the new Instructions, the initial selection was held at the regional level. In total participants presented 57 works in four categories: "Spiritual and moral education of children and young people", "The history of Orthodoxy of the native land", "Patriotic education in the Orthodox tradition," "The family as a successor of the moral and spiritual values."

The best works presented at the contest were sent to the Scientific and Pedagogical Library of the Main Information and Analytical Center (from libraries of educational institutions); the National Library of Belarus (from libraries of the Ministry of Culture), and the Central Library of the Belarusian Exarchate (from church libraries). The administrations of these institutions organized regional competitions. As a result, 31 works were presented to the jury of the Republican competition.

22 libraries-participants took prizes and awards.

The competition was held in order to enhance the educational activities of Belarusian libraries facilitating the formation of spiritual and moral qualities of the person and improving the education of patriotism and citizenship of children and youth on the basis of the Orthodox tradition.

The award ceremony will be held on October 4–6 at the National Library of Belarus, during the IV International Congress "The library as a cultural phenomenon."

The jury thanks all the participants and hopes that each year the contest will contribute to the improvement of the activity of libraries for the benefit of spiritual enlightenment and moral education.