On June 6, 2012 an opening ceremony of the children’s art exhibition «Is it difficult to be a refugee?» devoted to the World Refugee Day took place. Works of children — winners of the competition of the same name, organized by the Center of Additional Education for Children and Adolescents «Evrika» with the support of the UNHCR Office in the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, were presented.
An opening ceremony of the children’s art exhibition «Is it difficult to be a refugee?» devoted to the World Refugee Day took place. Works of children — winners of the competition of the same name, organized by the Center of Additional Education for Children and Adolescents «Evrika» with the support of the UNHCR Office in the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, were presented.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition took place at the Minsk City Museum of History. Children — participants of the competition were present at the event. Among them were also children-refugees from Afghanistan and Georgia. Children were awarded with memorable prizes, provided by the UNHCR Representation in the Republic of Belarus together with the Center of Additional Education for Children and Adolescents «Evrika».
Opening speech at the opening ceremony was given to the Director of the Center for Children and Youth «Evrika» Svetlana Shmagorevskaya. In her speech she turned to children, who participated in the contest, thanked them for their active work. «Children, living in peaceful Belarus, didn`t remain indifferent to the problems of other children in difficult circumstances. Children sympathizing with their fellows reflected it in their paintings». Svetlana Shmagorevskaya ended her speech with the motto of the Center «Evrika»: «I’m happy that we joined our wings in the common impulse of good and love!»
Then the floor was given to the Representative of the UNHCR Office in the Republic of Belarus Sholeh Safavi. She noted that this event is one of the commemorative events to mark the World Refugee Day in Belarus. «In the year 2000, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared 20th of June as the World Refugee Day. The purpose of this decision was to raise awareness about the plight of refugees, that this people who are forced to leave their home, family and friends and to take refuge in another country. It was also meant to remind members of the international community of their responsibility to protect and assist refugees to rebuild a new life for themselves». On behalf of the UNHCR Office in Belarus Sholeh Safavi congratulated and thanked children participating in the competition all over Belarus. The theme of the competition speaks for itself: «Is it difficult to be a refugee?». As a person who has been in the service of refugees for nearly 25 years, Sholeh Safavi noted that being a refugee is not only hard but also requires courage, resilience and at the same time enormous amount of hope and love for a peaceful and dignified life. The peculiarity of this year competition is that not only Belarusian children, but also refugee children participated in it and their works are exhibited in the Museum. While speaking Sholeh Safavi thanked administration and teachers of the schools who helped organize the activity and expressed special gratitude to the Ministry of Education, the Center for Children and Youth «Evrika» and the Minsk City Museum of History, without whose support and cooperation this event could not have taken place. A last word was turned to all children who were present. It included a plea to cherish all the privileges you have but at the same time to think always of those who don't.
Then the Head of the Minsk City Museum of History Galina Ladisova presented her speech. She expressed gratitude for this honor to host the exhibition bringing joy to everyone at the Minsk City Museum of History. She paid special attention to Mikhail Savitsky, whose works exposition takes one of the leading places at the Museum. The fact that Mikhail Savitsky knew the hardships of war more than anyone and knows the real value to peace is very symbolic, that`s why the decision to host the exhibition at the Museum is rather reasonable.
In the end, Nadezhda Velikaya, the main specialist of the Office for Ideological, Social and Educational Work of the Educational Committee of the Minsk City Executive Committee, and Irina Chiutkova, the Deputy Representative of the Children’s Fund UNICEF in the Republic of Belarus, took floor. Nadezhda Velikaya noted that «adults must do their best to provide wonderful conditions for children in the world as well as in our country». She called all the present not to forget the problems of refugees, to study them and to find solutions to these problems with joint effort, firstly in the atmosphere of mutual respect. Irina Chyutkova emphasized that «it is necessary to do everything to help the government to create conditions, under which all the rights of a child set in the Convention on the Rights of the Child are to be observed and all children are to be brought up in the atmosphere of love and understanding. When a person begins to ponder on the problems of refugees, the senses of understanding, mercy, help and assistance are being born in his soul».
In between the congratulations and speeches of the officials, children, engaged in «Evrika» activities enjoyed all the guests with their performances. And despite the cloudy weather all the guests and organizers of the event were in good and festive mood.
At the end of the event children — participants of the competition released into the sky tens of pigeons symbolizing peace and love. Then all the guests went to the Museum to see the very exhibition of children`s art works, which will continue to work till June, 30 at the Minsk City Museum of History.