It was organized by the Department of Russian History and Historical and Local History Education at VSSPU, with the support of the Center of People's Diplomacy, and the Department of History and Cultural Heritage at Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov (VSU named after P.M. Masherov).

The event was held in a mixed format: Belarusian colleagues joined via videoconference.

In her welcoming remarks, Elena Grebenyuk, Head of the International Cooperation Department at Vitebsk State Socialist University, emphasized that over 30 years of integration, our countries have succeeded in creating a unified humanitarian space where history plays a consolidating role. "History," noted Elena Grebenyuk, "is the foundation upon which relations between two our states are built."

The second address was delivered by Irina Krasovskaya, Head of the Research Sector at Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov. As she aptly remarked, in regard to Russia and Belarus, one can speak not only of fraternal nations, but also of the fact that we function as one nation, thanks to the broad and comprehensive friendly ties between our countries.

The presentations by Volgograd participants provided an insight into the history and course of cooperation between Volgograd and Vitebsk.

Irina Petrova, PhD in History and Deputy Director of the State Archives of the Volgograd Region, presented the Belarusian-Russian project "Volgograd-Vitebsk: Memory of Generations."

We will definitely share more details about it, as any Volgograd resident aged 6 to 17 can participate in its second stage!

Pavel Smolyansky, PhD in Political Science, Advisor to the Director of the "Stalingrad Battle" Museum-Reserve, and Executive Secretary of the Volgograd Regional Branch of the Russian Historical Society, gave a vivid and engaging review of the process of "Adding Memorials to the Heroes of the Great Patriotic War to the UNESCO World Heritage List." Currently, the Brest Fortress and the "Heroes of the Battle of Stalingrad on Mamayev Kurgan" Ensemble are vying for a place on this list.

Why is this process so difficult and time-consuming? You will be able to read more about it soon in a more detailed post in our group.

Olga Savitskaya, PhD in History and Associate Professor in the Department of Russian History and Historical and Local History Education at Vitebsk State Sociological Pedagogical University, presented her paper on "The Mamayev Kurgan and Brest Fortress Memorial Complexes as Sources of a Unified Educational Space for Russia and Belarus." The audience was particularly drawn to the section that explored how today's youth is involved in historical information warfare and what characteristics of the younger generation can lead to a bitter defeat in such.

The Belarusian side of the presentation was represented by experts from the Department of History and Cultural Heritage at the partner university in Vitebsk.

Aleksandr Kosov, PhD in History and Associate Professor, presented a paper entitled "Belarusian-Russian Integration as Viewed in Domestic Historiography," highlighting the main trends and challenges in this area of studies.

Rostislav Timofeev, PhD in History and Associate Professor, spoke about the implementation of the Union programs of Belarus and Russia from 2015 to 2025. This was a comprehensive overview of how far our countries have come in the more than 30 years since the signing of that Treaty.

Anatoly Dulov, PhD in History, Department Head, and member of the Russian-Belarusian Expert and Advisory Council on History, spoke about the book "Vitebsk Underground," which has already been published twice and contains the results of unique research on the heroes of the Great Patriotic War.

Elena Bolotova, Director of the Institute of Historical and Legal Education, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and Professor in the Department of Russian History and Historical and Local History Education at Vitebsk State Sociological Pedagogical University, delivered the closing remarks.

Following the event, it's hard to disagree with Elena Grebenyuk's assessment: the wide range of topics covered in the roundtable is proof that academic diplomacy is effective, and the history of our countries serves to enrich their cultures.

We'll soon share more details about the joint projects between Volgograd and Vitebsk, as well as ways to participate!