SPORTS AND TOURISM AS A PART OF STATE POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS AND AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL CONSOLIDATION

For 15 years the Republic of Belarus as an independent state has been actively participating in the international life. Sports and Tourism are most vivid prove of that.

Thank to close attention of the Head of the state and the Government the sport movement has become one of the main state priorities.

Belarus ranks high in a world sport community. 132 sports are being cultivated in the Republic. The preparation of top-level sportsmen is carried out in 48 Olympic sports.

The Republic of Belarus with 10-million population while being independent comes into 20 world strongest among more than 200 sport countries, that participate in the Olympic Games.

There are about 80 international competitions held in the Republic of Belarus every year. The tournaments for the prizes of the President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko, three times Olympic champion in free style wrestling Aleksander Medved, open championships and cups in rhythmic gymnastics, sambo, judo have been accorded wide recognition.

Belarus raised 61 Olympic champions. Sport achievements of three times Olympic champion Aleksander Medved, four times Olympic gold winners Viktor Sidyak, Olga Korbut, Elena Belova, five times Olympic champion Nelli Kim, six times Olympic champion Vitaly Scherba, Olympic champion Yulia Nesterenko and many other celebrated Belarusian sportsmen had been put in the history of International Olympic movement.

Evidently the preparation of sport reserve is an integral part of sport movement. We managed to maintain the system of training of sportsmen on a state basis. The number of specialized educational sport establishments grows constantly and for the moment is 480. There are about 200 000 pupils that are having their free of charge trainings there.

The members of the national sport teams are the pride of the country. 180 individual grants from the President of the Republic of Belarus are being asserted for outstanding sport results. The worthy salary on the level of international standards is provided by the state. Taking into account the rewards for the results at the official international competitions it is guarantied that the sportsmen are morally and materially challenged.

In accordance with the decision the President of the Republic of Belarus the Olympic residential complex “Olympic village” was constructed where the apartments are provided to sportsmen, coaches, veterans and specialist of physical culture and sport with certain benefits. This year one more building for 59 apartments has been built.

Honorary titles “Honoured Master of Sports”, “Honoured Coach”, “Honoured Employee of Physical Culture and Sport” are classified as state rewards. Besides for outstanding achievements, significant contribution in the development of physical culture and sport sportsmen and coaches are rewarded with orders and medals.

The Head of the state and the Government set a concrete task to establish favorable conditions for sport-for-all development in every locality.

The realization of this task is fulfilled by the local executive bodies, and is guarantied in practice by the specialists of physical culture and sport.

Nowadays 30% of the population in our country actively practice different types of physical activity.

Out task is to achieve the frontier of 40-50 percent of population regularly going in for sport.

All preconditions for that have been established.

Due to the interest of the Head of the State and the Government, sport facilities have been given a significant support and development in Belarus. It’s worth mentioning that there is a number of newly built modern Palaces of Sports in every regional center and it is planned to build up such facilities in each settlement with population over 100 thousand people. Currently there are 13 such cities in Belarus.

The main summer and winter Sports Training Centers such as Olympic Sports Complexes ”Raubichi“ and ”Staiki“, Track and Field Sports Hall in Mogilev, Shooting Gallery in Brest and many others do comply with the world standards.

The construction work of Multifunctional Sports Complex ”Minsk-Arena“ with spectators capacity of 15 thousand seats has just begun. The complex can host events in 28 sports. It’s planned to construct a velodrome with 3500 seats and Freestyle Training Center with Public Recreation Complex- aqua park. And that is only in Minsk, the capital of the Republic of Belarus.

On Belarus gaining its independence the rate of international relations has considerably changed. Physical culture and sports have an important place in our country’s international policy. We have managed to keep the image of Belarus as a country famous for its Olympic achievements and sports traditions.

The Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus, National Olympic Committee take active part in international organizations such as Council of Europe, International Olympic Committee, World Tourism Organization etc.

One of the foreground directions in the development of sports and tourist links has always been cooperation with member states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, neighboring and other foreign countries. At the moment agreements on cooperation in the sphere of physical culture, sports and tourism have been concluded with 24 countries.

Belarus is an open state and is ready for cooperation with all states.

When speaking of Belarus tourism potential, it’s important to mention that it is mainly based on natural diversity and beauty and unique historic and cultural heritage including over 15 thousand tourism object, of historic, cultural and architectural value, memorable places connected with the names of world’s outstanding historical and cultural figures.

On the territory of Belarus there is a number of ancient towns such as Polotsk, Novogrudok, Turov, Grodno, Nesvizh and many others. In many towns there are numerous temples and monasteries, palaces, castles and other monuments of architectural, historic and cultural value. Two architectural monuments that situated on the territory of the Republic of Belarus are included in the List of UNESCO World Heritage:

-Castle complex ”Mir“ situated in the village of Mir (Grodno region)

- architectural and cultural complex of the Radzivilles at the town of Nesvizh (Minsk region)

In Belarus there’s diversity of flora and fauna as well as natural monuments, recreation resources, hunting and fishing resorts. There are 4 national parks (Belovezhskaya puscha – of international importance),
97 natural reserves including 7 ones of international importance, over 10 thousand lakes and 20 thousand rivers.