The Belarusian Women’s Union’s “We are different, but we are united” national project continues. Women from across the country are visiting the Palace of Independence and working together to create a unique art object – a map of Belarus filled with portraits of Belarusian women. On 22 August, women from Minsk Oblast made their contribution. They also spoke about what makes Belarusian women special and why every woman should visit the Palace of Independence.
The president has repeatedly emphasized the important role women play in the life of society and the state, while the Belarusian leader’s quote: “A woman is everything” has long become widely known. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that the doors of the Palace of Independence have been opened wide to Belarusian women from across the country. It should be recalled that tours of the Palace are held on the personal instruction of the head of state. In 2026, representatives of the Belarusian Women’s Union asked the president for permission to visit the Palace. There could be no refusal, especially in the Year of the Belarusian Woman. Thus, Aleksandr Lukashenko gave his compatriots another gift.
“Today the sky over Minsk is grey and the weather is rainy, but our Belarusian Women’s Union delegation from Minsk Oblast is celebrating. Today is a unique day. We have touched a miracle, the pride of our country. We are grateful to our president, who declared 2026 the Year of the Belarusian Woman and invited us to experience this miracle - the Palace of Independence. I admire our president: he combines strength of spirit with love for people and a special love for Belarusian women,” Svetlana Katovich, Deputy Director for Quality at Soligorsk Poultry Factory, said.
According to her, visiting the Palace of Independence had been a dream of hers. It was especially gratifying that it came true in the Year of the Belarusian Woman. “These impressions will stay with me for the rest of my life. I hope this is not my last visit to the Palace. It is truly a great and important event in my life,” Svetlana said, sharing her emotions.
Belarusian women are also giving something back. The Palace of Independence is not only the official residence but also a cultural venue featuring some of the best works by Belarusian and foreign artists. Now it has one more art object. During the tours, representatives of different professions and age groups from across the country are contributing to the Map of Unity. The panel, which follows the outline of Belarus, is gradually being filled with photographs of Belarusian women. An important element of the artwork is the traditional Belarusian craft of papercutting (vytsinanka) symbolizing the talent of the Belarusian people.
“Women are especially eager to become part of this map. The map embodies the image of Belarus as a woman. This is not a glossy magazine, these are real women who live and work on our Belarusian land, just as they are. Every woman who appears on this map feels a deep sense of pride and honor. Unfortunately, the map cannot include all the wonderful Belarusian women. But the most talented and the best will remain at the Palace of Independence.
Perhaps their children and grandchildren will come here one day. One can only imagine how pleased they will be to see photographs of their mothers and grandmothers on this map,” said Olga Shpilevskaya, Chairwoman of the Belarusian Women’s Union.According to her, the significance of the map also lies in the fact that it brings together different Belarusian women. “Our women are represented in all spheres: agriculture, industry, the financial sector, the army and the social sector. All of this is the Belarusian woman. Today there are no tasks beyond her capabilities. The harvesting campaign is under way, and women are also taking part in the battle for the harvest. All bills in the country are adopted with women’s interests in mind, to create conditions that allow them to combine motherhood and careers. And this is what makes Belarusian women special – they are capable of doing everything while remaining remarkably kind,” Olga Shpilevskaya said.
Representatives of three oblasts have already had the opportunity to see the Palace of Independence with their own eyes and leave their mark there, an initiative that has received a strong response from Belarusian women. “Many women would like the Year of the Belarusian Woman not to end. The number of those wishing to visit the Palace of Independence is not declining. The women who have been here generously share their impressions, and the Belarusian Women’s Union receives many letters asking us to continue this initiative,” Olga Shpilevskaya said.
For many guests, visiting the Palace was a long-cherished dream. And the emotions that come with a dream coming true are always more powerful. With the support of the head of state, the dream also came true for another 107 women from Minsk Oblast.
“For any woman, and for a modern leader in particular, it is very important to come here, switch off from everyday problems and see all this magnificence. It is a great honor to be here during the Year of the Belarusian Woman,” said Yulia Sechko, Director of the Volozhin Housing and Communal Services enterprise.
For many Belarusian women, motherhood is at the heart of their identity. Yulia Sechko is a mother of four children and knows well how to combine caring for her family with improving her entire city. According to Yulia, the secret is simple: a strong desire to make life better for both her family and her country. There is always an example to follow.“I am proud of my country. I am proud of our president – he is a person who loves his country like his own child. I always say that our president loves his country the way a mother loves her child. You can see it in his eyes. When a mother talks about her children, her expression changes. And when our president talks about his country, his expression changes in the same way. It means a lot that we are invited to the heart of the country, that every person matters to the president. These impressions will stay with us for many years,” Yulia Sechko said.
Belarusian women work together to raise a new generation of Belarusians. Some do this at home, while others do it through their work. Olga Karbalevich is responsible for military and patriotic education at Novopolessky Secondary School in Soligorsk District. It was her first visit to the Palace of Independence, and she was overwhelmed with emotion.
“It is very exciting to see so many achievements of our Belarusian people gathered in one place. You instantly realise that our people are capable of great things. Looking at the exhibition of traditional Belarusian loaves, you feel that everything is peaceful in our country and that we have everything we need for life despite all the difficulties,” Olga said.And now that one dream has come true, her next dream is to bring her students to the Palace of Independence. According to the teacher, this would be the best way to foster patriotism among schoolchildren. “If we get such an opportunity, we would organize the trip in the shortest possible time. My students are eager to visit new places and discover something new. They would be incredibly happy to visit the Palace of Independence,” she said.
