The Day of Unity of the Peoples of Belarus and Russia is celebrated annually on April 2 in Belarus and Russia. On this day, both our peoples celebrate the idea of their unification. One of the first Agreements concluded after the collapse of the Soviet Union between the newly independent states was the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Hydrometeorology, signed in Moscow in 1992. The Agreement on the Formation of the Community of Belarus and Russia, signed in 1996, set the task of creating a unified meteorological service. In order to implement the provisions of the Agreement on the Formation of the Community of Belarus and Russia to organize and ensure joint activities of the two countries in the field of hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring, on December 18, 1996, the Executive Committee of the Community of Belarus and Russia approved the Regulations on the Committee of the Community of Belarus and Russia on Hydrometeorology and Monitoring of Environmental Pollution, which was subsequently renamed the Committee of the Union State on hydrometeorology and monitoring of environmental pollution (hereinafter referred to as Soyuzkomhydromet). Soyuzkomhydromet is an organ of the Union State that organizes and coordinates activities at the interstate level in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields (meteorology, climatology, hydrology, agrometeorology, heliogeophysics), monitoring environmental pollution, as well as providing government agencies, the population, the economy and the armed forces with data and information on actual and forecasted weather conditions - climatic conditions, the state and pollution of the natural environment. In order to ensure the optimal functioning of the Soyuzkomhydromet, a joint board of ten people was established. The joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet consists of: the chairman, the deputy chairman (heads of authorized state administration bodies of Belarus and Russia in the field of hydrometeorology or persons appointed in these bodies as managers of activities in the field of hydrometeorology), as well as four members appointed on a parity basis from Belarus and Russia. Meetings of the joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet have been held at least twice a year since 1996. Over the 28 years of its existence, Soyuzkomhydromet has held 76 meetings. 76th meeting of the Joint Board of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Pollution Monitoring Gomel, October 11-12, 2023 Traditionally, representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, the Standing Committee of the Union State, executive authorities and scientific circles of Russia and Belarus are invited to participate in the work of the joint board of the Soyuzkomhydromet. The meetings result in decisions determining the vector of further interaction and development of the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus for the near and medium term. Thanks to the activities of Soyuzkomhydromet, the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus regularly exchange advanced scientific developments in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields, carry out technical modernization, as well as increase human resources and production capacities. Historically, Soyuzkomhydromet acts as a guarantor of the development and implementation of programs of the Union State in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields. Thanks to the effective work of the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus, four programs of the Union State in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields have been successfully developed and implemented under the auspices of the Soyuzkomhydromet. A program of joint activities between Russia and Belarus within the framework of the Union State to ensure hydrometeorological safety in conditions of climate variability and change from 2023 to 2027 is being developed. The implementation of four programs of the Union State in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields contributed to: 1. Improving methods and technologies of hydrometeorological forecasts and warnings to ensure the safety of public life and reduce damage from dangerous and adverse weather events, as a result of which global and regional hydrodynamic models of a new generation have been developed. To ensure the agricultural sector, work was carried out to adapt a number of methods to the changed climatic conditions, and an automated operational system for assessing droughts was developed. 2. The development of climate research at the regional and international levels, as a result of which technologies have been developed to assess the effects of climate change on various sectors of the economy, as well as complexes of appropriate adaptation measures. 3. Improving environmental pollution monitoring technologies to increase the effectiveness of environmental protection activities of the Union State, as a result of which methods for predicting atmospheric air and surface water pollution in radiation accidents have been updated. Under the auspices of Soyuzkomhydromet, specialists from Russia and Belarus took part in the design of the Belarusian NPP. New methods have been developed for the determination of pollutants in natural waters and sediments, as well as comprehensive assessments of the state of water bodies, the background state of the natural environment and transboundary flows of pollutants. 4. Development of environmental monitoring systems, their technical, technological and metrological support, as a result of which new technologies and equipment have been developed for obtaining, collecting, processing and distributing information about the state of the natural environment. Serial production of meteorological, actinometric sensors and instruments, automated measuring systems and automatic stations has begun. In addition, the unified information support system for the needs of the Union State for hydrometeorological data has been optimized, new methods of exchanging storm warnings between the regional centers of Russia and Belarus have been worked out, and ways to improve data exchange technology have been identified. 5. Improvement of technologies for processing regime hydrometeorological information and the formation of databases on the state of the natural environment, as a result of which software tools for primary processing, accumulation and dissemination of regime meteorological information of stations and posts, hydrological information on rivers and canals, lakes and reservoirs, software complexes have been developed and implemented. The results achieved in the implementation of previous programs have a positive effect on the preservation of a favorable environment, the adaptation of economic sectors, vital interests of individuals and society to climate change, as well as increasing their level of protection from the effects of natural hazards and are also taken into account when developing a program for the next five-year period. It is planned that the program for 2023-2027 will increase the resilience of social, economic and environmental systems to climate variability and change by developing effective and sustainable regional and national climatic, hydrometeorological, geophysical and environmental services. In 2022, a course was taken to develop a new relevant program, which is currently in a high degree of readiness. In December 2023, a Plan for joint operational and production activities of Belyhydromet and Roshydromet was signed within the framework of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Pollution Monitoring for 2024-2025. Every year, the volume of exchange of hydrometeorological and related information between Belhydromet and Roshydromet increases. Over the 28 years of its existence, Soyuzkomhydromet has established itself as a unique integration platform that has a positive effect on the activities of the state hydrometeorological services of Russia and Belarus, and its activities play a significant role in the functioning of the Union State, especially taking into account the current global climate agenda. In addition, 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty on the Formation of the Union of Russia and Belarus. When using the information reference to Belhydromet is obligatory  

Belarus is paying tribute to the memory of the residents of the village of Khatyn, which was burned by the Nazis 81 years ago, on March 22, 1943. Remembering Khatyn, Belarusians recall thousands of other Belarusian villages destroyed by the Nazi invaders during the Great Patriotic War. The quiet, friendly Belarusian village of Khatyn is no longer to be found on the map of Belarus. The Nazis burned it down along with 149 residents, 75 of whom were children under the age of 16. The Nazis sentenced innocent people from the village of Khatyn to death. The fascists drove the elderly, children, women and men out of the houses in the village. The sick and infirm were pushed with butts. They herded everyone into a barn on the outskirts, where hay was once stored. March 1943 was the last day for 149 Khatyn residents. 26 houses disappeared in the flames. On the site of the forest village there were ashes and lonely chimneys sticking out. A memorial complex "Khatyn" was created on the site of the village in memory of the dead. Initially, it was assumed that a memorial to the burned Khatyn would appear at the site of the tragedy. However, the project was revised and Khatyn became a monument to all the villages of Belarus burned during the Great Patriotic War. Thematically, the Khatyn memorial consists of several parts, but it has a single compositional solution that repeats the layout of the former village. In the center of the complex there is a bronze sculpture "The Unconquered Man", whose height is more than 6 m. It is a symbol of a man who rose alive from the fire, took out the body of a dead boy and carries it through the years, pronouncing an eternal curse to fascism, a curse to any evil on earth. This is a collective image of the Belarusian peasant. His prototype was the witness of the Khatyn tragedy, Joseph Kaminsky, who miraculously survived. He, burned and wounded, got out of the burning barn and found the mutilated body of his son among the corpses of his fellow villagers. Next to the sculpture are closed granite slabs resembling the roof of a barn in which the punishers burned the inhabitants of Khatyn. On the mass grave there is a marble wreath of memory with a symbolic appeal of the dead to the living with a request to preserve peace and quiet on earth: "Kind people, remember: we loved life and our Homeland, and you, dear ones. We burned alive in the fire. Our request to all: may sorrow and sorrow turn into your courage and strength, so that you can establish peace and quiet on Earth forever. So that from now on, life does not die anywhere and never in a whirlwind of fires!" On the other side of the wreath is the answer of the living to the dead: "You are our relatives. Bowing our heads in great sorrow, we stand before you. You did not submit to the fascist murderers in the dark days of hard times. You have accepted death, but the flame of love for our Soviet Homeland will never go out. The memory of you among the people is immortal, as our Earth is eternal and the eternally bright sun above it." The tragedy of Khatyn is not an accidental episode of the war, but one of thousands of facts testifying to the purposeful policy of genocide by Nazi Germany towards the population of Belarus. The fate of Khatyn during the Great Patriotic War was shared by thousands of villages of our country. According to recent studies, at least 216 cities and regional centers and more than 9 thousand villages were destroyed and burned by the Nazi invaders in Belarus. Some settlements have not been restored. We remember!   

The XXXIII International Festival of Arts "Slavyansky Bazaar in Vitebsk" will be held from July 11 to 14, 2024! Separate events are held on July 9, 10 and 15. You can already purchase tickets for the closed program of projects in the Summer Amphitheater. Also, a special offer is valid until March 19: when buying three tickets at the ticket offices of the VITEBSK Cultural Center, you will receive a discount on every third ticket in the amount of 33% of the lowest ticket price. Other good news: the above action will not be the only one, because the XXXIII festival is ready to surprise. 33 days of promotions are waiting for you! Follow the news on the website fest-sbv.gck.by and in the official communities of the forum. Also this year, the festival Directorate, together with the Vitebsk Tram and Trolleybus Department, prepared a surprise for the townspeople. From February 16, the festival tram will start moving along the city routes. Honored Artist of the Republic of Belarus Elena Spiridovich will help you not to miss your stop. Especially for the tram branded with festival symbols, the permanent presenter of the arts forum announced the names of stops so that every trip on public transport would be a reminder of the warm July festival for you. Tickets are available for sale on the websites fest-sbv.by , kvitki.by , ticketpro.by and at the ticket offices of the city. See you in July 2024 in festival Vitebsk! Slavyansky Bazar is a unique large-scale cultural forum, a "festival of festivals", which has become a truly cultural brand of Belarus. Its motto remains unchanged — "Through art — to peace and mutual understanding."  

In the period from June 19 to 21, 2024, Minsk   the II International Exhibition of the Security Industry "National Security. Belarus-2024" will take place . The event will be held at the Minsk Arena sports and entertainment complex. The large-scale exposition will present the latest developments in the main thematic areas: special technical means of law enforcement agencies and special services; technologies of information and digital security of the state; a system of anti-terrorist protection of objects vulnerable to terrorism; technical means of border protection; technical means and systems for preventing accidents, catastrophes and eliminating their consequences; special fire safety means; equipment and components used in disaster medicine; means of ensuring industrial and environmental safety; systems and complexes for monitoring public safety, ensuring the prevention of offenses and protection of citizens; biological safety. The program of events in the formats of conferences, seminars and business negotiations provides for the exchange of information on industrial and technological achievements in the field of special equipment, special equipment and weapons, discussion of topical issues of ensuring national, including information security, effective international cooperation between law enforcement agencies. The exhibition is organized by the State Secretariat of the Security Council of the Republic of Belarus and RUE National Exhibition Center BelExpo.  

The corresponding Decree No.21 was signed by the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. The document approved the image and description of the sign. It is a red pentagon, in the center of which there is a stylized image of an inverted letter "K" and the inscription "Belarus". The five corners of the sign symbolize the quality of Belarusian products achieved by a combination of five production indicators: safety, environmental friendliness, innovation, manufacturability and aesthetics. The procedure for awarding the State Quality Mark and the list of incentive benefits and preferences provided to manufacturers upon its assignment will be determined by the Government. The establishment of the State Quality Mark will contribute to improve the quality of Belarusian goods and services. Information from the Official Internet portal of the President of the Republic of Belarus   

"Today, we, the leaders of the world's states, are talking about the future of planet Earth - our common home. We have never had and will never have another home. We are talking about the future of our children and grandchildren. About the future of all who will come to this world after us. We represent different cultures, different value systems, different civilizations. But we are united in the face of the global challenge that nature itself has thrown at us," Alexander Lukashenko stressed. The President stated that the climate is changing and scientists are making the darkest predictions. "The fact that we hear them and react is very progressive. But in order to effectively counter the threat, it is necessary to honestly and openly name its root causes," the head of state noted. Alexander Lukashenko noted that Belarus fully fulfills its obligations under the Paris Agreement and even exceeds them. "We provide invaluable ecosystem services to our continent by preserving a unique source of oxygen - the natural swamps, forests, and lungs of Europe. We are developing green and nuclear energy, minimizing the risks of climate change.  Paradoxically, in response we receive new economic sanctions, barriers to international trade, and restrictions on access to technology. And not just us. It's time to admit: the green agenda is meaningless in a confrontational environment. It demands respect for the sovereignty of the countries and unconditional justice!" the Belarusian leader said. At the Dubai summit, Lukashenko urges the international community not to express "concerns" about climate security, but to act!  "Belarus calls on all those who are obliged to take on the burden of historical responsibility: first, to make a proportionate contribution to solving climate security issues over all centuries of thoughtless attitude to nature; secondly, to strengthen support for developing countries and countries with economies in transition; third, to stop expressing "concerns" and start acting in the name of preserving life on Earth," Alexander Lukashenko said. The information is taken from the Telegram channel of the Ministry of Natural Resources

On November 27 the Head of State Alexander Lukashenko signed Decree No. 375 "On declaring 2024 the Year of Quality". This decision was made in order to further improve the quality of life of the Belarusian people, ensure the competitiveness of the national economy on the world stage, stimulate initiative, form responsibility in society for the results of their work and a sense of belonging to the future of the country. Within the framework of the Year of quality, an emphasis will be placed on improving the competitiveness of Belarus through a careful and thoughtful attitude to resources, the implementation of high-tech and energy-intensive projects, the priority of qualitative indicators over quantitative ones. Efforts will be focused on ensuring quality indicators by stimulating initiatives, introducing innovative ideas, strengthening social optimism in society, and striving to create for the common goodness. Priority attention is planned to be paid to the formation of personal responsibility among citizens for achieving high quality of life (sufficient income, timely medical examination, healthy nutrition, good education, cultural leisure). Information from the Official Internet Portal of the President of the Republic of Belarus  

The Belarusian Energy and Environmental Forum   Energy Expo   is an excellent platform for the exchange of experience in the field of green energy. This opinion was expressed by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Andrey Khudyk during the opening of the forum. The Minister recalled that this event is being held in Belarus for the 27th time. "This is a vivid confirmation that the site is in demand and is being developed. It is a vivid example of how energy, ecology and economy are developing in our country," he said. Andrey Khudyk noted that the discussion of the energy topic is very important, despite the difficult geopolitical situation in the world. "In the Year of Peace and Creation, we are talking about environmental safety and climate issues. I am glad that more and more countries are getting involved in these issues," the head of the Ministry stressed. Many Belarusian and foreign scientists and practitioners gathered at the forum. Andrey Khudyk expressed confidence that such large-scale events provide excellent opportunities for sharing the best practices in the issues of diversification of energy sources, energy conservation and energy efficiency, development of nuclear energy, green energy, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental protection in general. Information and photo are taken on the BelTA website  

The XXVII Belarusian Energy and Environmental Forum will be held in Minsk from October 17 to 20, 2023.   The purpose of the forum is to promote the innovative development of the fuel and energy sector of Belarus. Every year the forum becomes a unique meeting place for power engineers and environmentalists, thereby contributing to the expansion of cooperation, the exchange of advanced developments and projects. The business program of the forum includes scientific and practical conferences, round tables and seminars where experts present modern technological solutions in the field of energy, energy conservation and ecology. The forum will host the International specialized exhibition "Energy. Ecology. Energy saving. Electro" (EnergyExpo' 2023)  in which Belhydromet will take part. As part of the exposition of organizations of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Belhydromet will present the Republican Information System for Automated Environmental Monitoring (RISAM), the National Environmental Monitoring System in the Republic of Belarus (NEMS), will demonstrate a 3-D model of the Minsk meteorological station, which will allow visitors to visually familiarize themselves with the technical capabilities of Belhydromet in the production of hydrometeorological information. Informational materials on environmental issues will be presented to a wide range of visitors. Visitors can ask any question they are interested in when viewing the exhibition which will be answered by specialists of Belhydromet. For reference: The Belarusian Energy and Environmental Forum has been held since 1995 attracting the attention of leading Belarusian and world manufacturers of energy-efficient equipment, technologies and materials for energy, petrochemicals, housing and communal services, the manufacturing sector and environmental protection in the Republic of Belarus and is the country's largest presentation platform on these topics. The structure of the exposition includes industry sections of the Ministry of Energy, the Belarusian State Concern for Petroleum and Chemistry, the State Committee for Standardization, the State Committee for Science and Technology, the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection. This year, over 200 enterprises and organizations will present their products and services at the forum. Among them are the largest enterprises of the Belarusian energy industry and foreign companies interested in promoting products to the Belarusian market. The rich business program of the forum includes 18 events, including conferences, seminars, round tables, presentations of companies participating in the exhibition. During the events, domestic and foreign experts will present modern technological solutions in the field of energy, petrochemistry, energy conservation and ecology. Within the framework of the forum's business program, the following issues will be considered: ESG transformation and sustainable development; digitalization of production, fuel and energy and petrochemical complexes; the possibility of using natural refrigerants to save energy and increase the efficiency of refrigeration units; energy storage systems on lithium-ion batteries to ensure uninterrupted power supply of industrial facilities in Belarus; the reality and prospects of electric transport; current situation and prospective directions the use of local fuel and energy resources, the efficient use of electric energy and others. Within the framework of the forum, under the patronage of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Belarus and with the organizational support of the Rosatom State Corporation, an international conference will be held on the role of nuclear energy in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the BelAES project as an exemplary example of international cooperation, which created an opportunity for the implementation of major partner projects in new areas of work. Coverage of the forum's events in the Belarusian and foreign mass media will be provided by 18 information partners representing leading print publications and Internet portals. Detailed information about the participants and events of the forum is available on the official website of the forum: https://energyexpo.by /. One can get a personal electronic invitation card which makes it possible to attend the forum events once after registering on https://https://energyexpo.by /. We invite you to visit the Belhydromet exposition! Exhibition opening hours: October 17-19, 2023 from 10-00 to 18-00, October 20, 2023 from 10-00 to 14-00. Venue: Republic of Belarus, Minsk, Pobediteley Ave., 20/2 (Football Arena).  

On October 12, 2023, Gomel the 76th meeting of the joint board of the Union State Committee on Hydrometeorology and Environmental Pollution Monitoring is taking place. The meeting brought together representatives of the hydrometeorological services of the two countries, representatives of the Standing Committee of the Union State, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of Belarus, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, as well as executive authorities and scientific circles of the two countries. Specialists of the two countries are considering topical issues of interaction between the state hydrometeorological services of Belarus and Russia, including climate services in the technical sphere of the economy, the state and improvement of the atmospheric air monitoring system. Among the important topics is the role of additional professional education for the sustainable professional development of the hydrometeorological industry, etc. It will also focus on ensuring hydrometeorological safety in conditions of climate variability and change, the state and improvement of the atmospheric air monitoring system, the development of the portal "Hydrological Observation Network of the Russian Federation" in the interests of the Union State, the formation and management of the State Hydrometeorological Fund in Belarus and Russia. The meeting is held in the spirit of friendly dialogue. For reference: the joint board has been held for more than a quarter of a century. It is a platform for constructive dialogue, consideration of issues in the field of hydrometeorology and related fields, exchange of experience. Also on the agenda is a discussion of current activities and promising scientific developments. Before the meeting, Svetlana Kuzmich, First Deputy head of Belhydromet told reporters about cooperation with Russian colleagues : "To create a short-term forecast it is enough to know the weather on the territory of neighboring countries, but to create a forecast for 10 days ahead, you need to know what the weather was in Canada. And the fact that some of the European information is not available to us now we compensate through new technologies related to satellite meteorology, training of our specialists. According to the agreement reached with our Russian colleagues, our specialists are trained according to the quotas of the Union State. There is something to strive for, developing new directions." Information from the Belarusian side is valuable for colleagues from Russia. "We are located west of Russia. And the Western transfer is typical for the European part. From 2018 to 2020 we have built a wide network of radars. We have five radars for the republic. And we already see the development of dangerous and unfavorable phenomena on the outskirts of Belarus. And it is very interesting and important for our colleagues as well. We have created a single radar field. Thus, we provide ourselves and our Russian colleagues with this information," explained the first deputy head of the Belhydromet. Svetlana Kuzmich also told reporters about the objective need to adapt to the ongoing climate changes: "The hydrometeorological industry has something to strive for and improve, although modernization has been carried out in recent years, technological approaches have been strengthened. Now not only the topic of climate change is relevant in the country, but also real recommendations to industries and sectors of the economy on how to adapt to this factor. We can talk about a certain shift in cycles, an increase in the off-season period. At the same time, we understand that it is impossible to reverse the ongoing processes but we are able to offer solutions to adapt to them. And each industry is characterized by its own dangerous phenomena. At the same time agriculture suffers the most: approximately 42% of all dangerous phenomena lead to the death of agricultural crops, 19% affects the fuel and energy complex and 12% affects the construction industry. Our specialists also develop recommendations for the adaptation of various sectors of the economy. For example in the construction industry it is necessary to revise certain rules and regulations. If we talk about the energy industry we understand that now the share of electricity costs for air conditioning exceeds the share of heating costs. In the agricultural sphere there is a need to replace some systems, seeds with more thermophilic ones."