MIKHAIL ORDA: “VYTOKI” BECAME A REAL DISCOVERY OF OUR CULTURE, IDENTITY, SPORTS

09.08.2021

MIKHAIL ORDA: “VYTOKI” BECAME A REAL DISCOVERY OF OUR CULTURE, IDENTITY, SPORTS

08/10/2021

August is the most Olympic month. Belarusian athletes and everyone who loves sports experienced many bright and memorable moments during this part of the summer. Suffice it to recall the XXXII Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo.

At the main competitions of the year, Belarusian athletes won 7 medals. By the way, 2 of them were brought to the national team’s collection by trade union athletes. And on the last weekend of summer, Minsk residents and guests of the capital were invited to sporting events in the Olympic quest format by the republican cultural and sports festival “Vytoki. Krok da Alimpu.”

A bright holiday from May to August has already been celebrated in Lida , Orsha , Kobrin, Mozyr , Bobruisk and Soligorsk . It's Minsk's turn. The two-day festival in the capital of Belarus began with a tour of the historical center - the Upper Town. The guests visited the City Hall, where an exhibition of contemporary Belarusian art and children's drawings opened. The concert of organ music by Valery Shmat “My Krok da Alimpu” in the “Upper City” concert hall was also a pleasant surprise. By the way, the preparation of the cultural component of the festival was undertaken by ArtHaos LLC and BelBrandAudit LLC.

The center of attraction of the second festival day was the site near the Minsk Sports Palace. Even the rain did not stop Minsk residents from attending the sports and health festival on August 28.

The organizers of the festival “Vytoki. Krok da Alimpu" in Minsk - National Olympic Committee and Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus.

– If we take the statistics, then several tens of thousands of young people, teenagers and children tried themselves in Olympic quests alone, and in general several hundred thousand people took part in the festival. In the Year of National Unity and the 30th anniversary of the NOC, the event turned out to be large-scale, as we had planned. “Vytoki” united Belarusians. People came with families and enjoyed participating in sports and cultural events. Each city was good in its own way, everyone tried to surprise and find a highlight in the region,” noted NOC President Viktor Lukashenko in a conversation with journalists. – I have a double feeling: sadness that the project is ending, but at the same time we are happy that people liked the festival. We are already thinking about how to summarize the experience accumulated over 4 months and transfer it to benefit next year. I would like to express my gratitude to the co-organizers of the event and local authorities, without whom the holiday would not have become so popular among the population.

By the way, trade unions are making their contribution to creating the necessary conditions for healthy recreation and sports for the younger generation of Belarusians. Today, more than 34 thousand children and teenagers study in 103 trade union sports schools. 51 sports are practiced here, and only 11 of them are non-Olympic. It was possible to get acquainted with the achievements of trade union sports institutions, as well as big-time sports stars, during the regional Olympic days.

“Vytoki” became a real discovery of our culture, identity, and sports. And most importantly, development opportunities in our country,” said the chairman of the Federation of Trade Unions, Mikhail Orda, during the final stage of the festival in Minsk. – In each region we saw a lot of talented children and adults who are passionate about their work. There are many opportunities for everyone to develop and achieve new goals. There are talented teachers, bright personalities in sports and culture who motivate others by their example.

The leader of the national trade union center expressed confidence that in each region, after visiting the festival, many people were truly eager to find a new hobby.

In Minsk, at the final stage of the festival, trade union sports institutions again prepared thematic sports grounds. The Minsk central sports school of trade unions "Spartak" showed its achievements in weightlifting, the Minsk city sports school of trade unions in rhythmic gymnastics named after. L.G. Godieva pleased with the performance of young gymnasts, and pupils of the Sports and Youth Sports School of the primary trade union organization of the 1st Minsk Poultry Farm OJSC demonstrated their skills in canoeing.

Many visitors were attracted by the Health City , organized by the Belprofsoyuzkurort sanatorium system. In particular, the Pridneprovsky sanatorium gave away a weekend tour for two.

- “Outflows.” Krok da Alimpu” is a very spectacular and large-scale event. There should be more such sports festivals; they help popularize sports among children,” the director of the Minsk City Sports School of Rhythmic Gymnastics Trade Unions named after. L.G. Godieva Olga Puzhevich. – Our rhythmic gymnastics school was founded in 1978 by Honored Trainer of the USSR Larisa Godieva. At SDYUSHOR we have trained 8 honored coaches, 11 honored masters of sports and more than 170 international class masters. Our students are members of the national team of the Republic of Belarus. Young gymnasts can look up to, for example, silver medalists Ksenia Sankovich and Alexandra Narkevich, as well as champions of the II European Games in rhythmic gymnastics in group exercises Karina Ermolenko and Anna Shvaiba.

All sporting events at the venues near the Sports Palace were held in the Olympic quest format. Young athletes participated in competitions and received valuable prizes.

The guys tried their hand at football, basketball, volleyball, handball, tennis, hockey, cheerleading, kayaking and canoeing, rowing, boxing, karate, judo, golf, athletics, acrobatics, figure skating, fire and rescue sports, cycling, bullet shooting, equestrian sports, sailing, rhythmic gymnastics, roller sports, skateboarding.

The bravest could compete in archery pinball, play urban ball with friends, measure the speed of their throw in hockey, watch a flyboard show from the Svisloch embankment, and performances by rowers and sailing representatives.

Director of the Minsk Central Sports and Youth Sports School of the Spartak trade unions Vitaly Belobotsky, like his colleague Olga Puzhevich, emphasized that the Vytoki festival is a good advertisement for sports among children:

– It’s great when children come to themed sports grounds, get excited about this or that sport, sign up for sections and become involved in a healthy lifestyle. As for our sports school, we are one of the strongest martial arts schools in the republic . We have opened 7 departments where freestyle wrestling, boxing, taekwondo, arm wrestling, weightlifting, kickboxing and Thai boxing are cultivated, and our students are champions of the Republic of Belarus,” noted Vitaly Belobotsky.

By the way, Minsk is a leader among the country's regions in the development of physical culture and sports. In the capital, you can exercise at 3,724 sports grounds, including 43 stadiums, 237 specialized gyms, 14 indoor arenas, 2 rowing and 35 ski bases, 67 swimming pools, 10 ice arenas.

– It is symbolic that “Vytoki” takes place on the eve of Knowledge Day . This is an important event: the children of the townspeople can see how developed sports are in Minsk,” says Alexander Shchekovich, chairman of the Minsk City Association of Trade Unions. – Today we see a large representation of sports schools of the trade union, we have more than 15 of them in the capital. Many children study here, and today’s event, I am sure, will give an incentive to the children to enroll in sections and play sports, and to parents to support them.

The sports festival in Minsk was attended by Olympic champions and medalists of the Games, including winners of recent competitions in Tokyo.

– When you have a dream and aspiration, you can realize any goals. I started my journey into big-time sports from childhood and believed that I could get to the Olympic Games. Everything worked out, I became a bronze medalist in the high jump,” noted Maxim Nedosekov, bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics. – “Vytoki” is an excellent opportunity for children to independently choose what they would like to do.

All day long there was a food court, a family recreation area and an exhibition and sale “Belarusian Brands” near the Sports Palace. Catering facilities, regional, Minsk city and republican enterprises presented products that develop the historical and cultural traditions of ethnic groups living in our country.

Honey, marshmallows and marshmallows from Krasny Pishevik, chocolate from Kommunarka, cheeses and dairy products from the Kobrin Butter and Cheese Factory, kebabs and other treats from Lidahleboprodukt, ice cream and drinks from Cold Storage Plant No. 2 - just part of the assortment for sale and for tasting at the exhibition.

Fans of original souvenirs with national flavor had plenty to choose from at the fair of handmade products from craftsmen from different parts of Belarus.

On the main stage of the festival near the Sports Palace, the best young performers in the vocal competition were determined. The winners received not only diplomas and prizes, but also the opportunity to work with the best teachers in the country and develop further.

The festival program will be completed by a concert accompanied by the Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus under the direction of chief conductor Vitaly Kulbakov with the participation of popular artists. And, of course, what is a festival without fireworks - they will light up the evening sky at 10 pm. Of course, the cultural festival “Vytoki. Krok da Alimpu”, which spent 4 months walking around the country, will continue in the new season.

Angela LYUDYNO

Text material taken from the website of the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus  1PROF.BY

https://1prof.by/news/vytoki-krok-da-alimpu/festival-sporta-i-zdorovogo-obraza-zhizni-vytoki-krok-da-alimpu-uzhe-v-minske/