VITEBSK, 1 November (BelTA) – The international conference “History and Archaeology of Polotsk and the Polotsk Land” opened in Polotsk, BelTA learnt from Ms Tamara Dzhumantayeva, the Director of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. The conference is dedicated to the 1150th anniversary of the first mention of Polotsk in chronicles and is the final event on the program of celebrations of 1150 years of Polotsk. Attending the conference are 50 scholars from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine and Poland. Participants will discuss new archeological research on the history of Polotsk, the problem of restoration and use of the monuments, exchange their views on the study and interpretation of archaeological finds in Polotsk and the Polotsk land. A separate set of issues is related to the role of the museum in the preservation and presentation of the cultural heritage of the historic city, the use of new information technologies in the museum. Scholars will give lectures at sectional meetings. “We expect to hear about interesting discoveries on the previously studied and little known facts about the history of the Polotsk land,” said Tamara Dzhumantayeva. The organizers of the 4th International Conference in Polotsk are the Culture Ministry of Belarus, the cultural department of the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee and the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. The forum is held under the auspices of the UNESCO for the first time. The international organization included the 1150th anniversary of Polotsk into its 2012-2013 calendar. All the reports will be published in a collection, History and Archeology of Polotsk and Polotsk Land. “It is expected to come out in spring 2013,” she added, noting that taking into account an increased interest among national and foreign historians to the previous editions the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum is working on their digitalization.

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