To the Participants and Organizers of the Union State Olympiads: “Russia and Belarus: historical and spiritual community"

I reread several times with great interest the tasks for Olympiad which has been seriously and thoughtfully prepared by the education ministries of Belarus and Russia. I am confident that you guys won the first round of the Union Olympiad because you managed to feel deeply the works by our great poets, dedicated to the difficult destiny of Russia and Belarus, and the ability to love the homeland for the "smell of apples and honey", for "wind song" for "the impossible is possible", calling for the opening of the ability to understand the "indissoluble continuity connection" with her "burning and washing" history. I am convinced that reflecting on the origins of the historical and spiritual community, the youth of Belarus and Russia is acutely aware of the importance of further joint paths for our countries. We, the older generation, and you, who is just beginning to “stand up on your own feet ", understand that today the only way to achieve meaningful progress on this path one should really made himself and his “soul work day and night." For even our beloved river Volga "welcomes", but "never promise anything in vain and never gives anything back easily."