Patriarch Kirill to attend Slavonic Unity-2012 festival 30 June

GOMEL, 29 June (BelTA) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia will hold a festive prayer during the International Festival "Slavonic Unity-2012" on the border of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, near the Monument of Friendship on 30 June, BelTA learnt from Olga Antonenko, the first deputy chief of the culture department of the Gomel Oblast Executive Committee. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church will attend the forum as a guest. Among the guests of honour will be also the governors of the Gomel, Bryansk and Chernigov regions. It is expected that the forum will be attended by thousands of people from different regions of the three countries, including art groups and sports teams. The festival of Slavic peoples “Slavic Unity” at the Friendship Monument on the border of Belarus, Russia and Ukraine is the largest international event which has acquired great popularity far beyond the border regions. The first such meeting f delegation of the Gomel, Bryansk and Chernigov regions took place in 1969. Every year the forum is attended by several thousands of Slavs from the three countries, representatives of the most important industries, culture and the arts, youth leaders, representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church, political parties and social movements. Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II attended the forum in 2001, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill in 2011. The festival welcomed the heads of the legislative assemblies in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine In 1999 and 2002, and the Presidents of the three countries in 2004.

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