More than 600 women from across Belarus gathered at the country’s Grand Theatre for a solemn ceremony honoring rural workers. The annual event coincides with the Day of Workers in Agriculture and the Processing Industry of the Agro-Industrial Complex, BelTA reports.

The day offered participants not only words of appreciation and gratitude but also a rich cultural program. Delegations were treated to guided tours of Minsk, and the event concluded with a performance of the renowned classical ballet, La Bayadère.

Women whose daily efforts contribute to the well-being of Belarusian towns and villages shared their thoughts on the celebration. Irina Ogorodnikova traveled to the event from Gomel region, where she has worked as a catering manager for 42 years. She admitted that the celebration exceeded her expectations. “I’m still in shock. Everything is at such a high level. I’ve never been to the Grand Theatre before, and this will be my first time watching a ballet. There’s so much glamour and splendor here. Everything in Belarus is truly excellent,” Irina said.

Work is her favorite thing to do. “I feed people well so that our workers can harvest a rich crop and livestock farmers can get good yields. How you feed people is how the work will go. I go to work with joy. And when you hear words of gratitude for your work every day, you realize that all this is not in vain,” she noted.

Irina is confident that rural areas have everything needed for a comfortable life, and young people should consider the opportunities offered by agro-towns and villages. “We have good housing, there are kindergartens, schools, a hospital, a clinic, an art school, and a sports school. It’s no worse than the capital. There are minibuses, city, and intercity transport. We have it very good,” she added.

Tatyana Suprun came from the agro-town of Motol in Brest region. Over two years ago, she chose an unusual but very desirable profession for herself—she became a tractor driver. The woman admitted that she was drawn to machinery since childhood. First there was a bicycle, then a moped, a motorcycle, a car, and later a home tractor for the garden. “We have a lot of land, we grow potatoes, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries. But I always dreamed of driving a tractor professionally, like my dad,” Tatyana explained. Before that, she had worked as a cook, a livestock farmer, and a cleaner. And she particularly enjoys being the only woman among men in her current profession.

""" Tatyana was deeply impressed by Belarus’s Bolshoi Theatre. “When you encounter such beauty, it takes your breath away,” she said. “We have such a great program—gifts, a hotel, ballet, and a big tour of Minsk.”

At home, the worker especially values her closeness to nature. Just stepping into the yard, she’s surrounded by a vegetable garden, a gazebo, and a barbecue area. Nearby, there’s a forest, a river, and a lake, and she says the air is especially clean.

From November 13 to 14, the Belarusian Women’s Union, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and the Belarusian Trade Union of Agricultural Workers, will host a celebration honoring rural workers. The event brings together active and dedicated rural women in creative activities that benefit the country, highlighting their vital role in developing and strengthening civil society. """