Jul 03, 2019
Belarus Independence Day 2019
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle honors Belarus Independence Day, a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Minsk, the capital city.
Independence from the USSR was declared on July 27th, 1991. But Belarus’ liberation on July 3rd, 1944 marked a new beginning for the country, which was rebuilt after World War II into the modern nation it is today.
Festivities take place throughout the country in remembrance of this historic day. Concerts are held in the cultural mecca of Gomel, home to a historic palace and park, known as the Rumyantsev-Paskevich Residence.
The Belarusian flag’s distinctive design—a large red horizontal stripe above a smaller green stripe, with a vertical white stripe adorned by traditional patterns along the flagstaff—was adopted in 1995. With flags waving, a solemn military parade makes its way down Pobeditilei Avenue in Minsk, where a day of cultural events culminates with a grand fireworks display.
Though it may be the smallest of the former Soviet Union’s three Slavic republics (after Russia and Ukraine), this Eastern European country—situated amidst those neighbors as well as Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia—celebrates its independence with enormous pride.
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