For the participants of the "In My Homeland" project spring is, as usual, the time for results. Just in April the results of the contests are published on the project's website, and the winners receive awards for their creative work, the main of which is their painting in the exposition of the final exhibition of the painting and graphics competition "In My Homeland".

On April 25, 2026, about a hundred guests gathered at the Green Cross Belarus educational center – young artists, photographers, cartoonists, their relatives and friends – to see the exhibition, enjoy nature and, of course, receive awards from the organisers, jury members, friends and partners of GCB.

The bright sun filled the center with warmth from the very morning, and the light excitement of the guests complemented the atmosphere of joyful anticipation. Volunteers from the Minsk Family Club helped the young authors and their loved ones navigate the day's program and look around the center. As usual, the point of attraction was a blooming magnolia. But the main focus, of course, was the final exhibition of the 21st International Painting and Graphics Contest, where they could take pictures with their drawing and get acquainted with the works of other authors. In one of the gallery halls one could see the best works of the 4th International Photography Contest, as well as watch the best cartoons of the 11th International Cartoon Contest.

Despite the frightening forecast, the weather made it possible to hold this celebration of children's creativity on the street. The ceremony began under the shade of trees, on a picturesque site where an improvised stage was set up. In the opening remarks, Elena Popova, Deputy director of the organization, announced some figures – a total of 6,770 entries from 24 countries were submitted to the competition, of which 862 received Diplomas of various degrees.

After a short introduction and the blessing of Smolevichi Dean Priest Nikodim Pashkov, the guests of the ceremony were greeted by the GCB director Vladimir Shevtsov. Speaking about the exhibition and the competition, he noted the importance of supporting children's creativity, a child's view of the world around them, which often helps adults to better understand the processes taking place on their land. He paid special attention to teachers, their role in the upbringing and development of creative personalities. During the opening of the exhibition, the young authors, their teachers, relatives and friends were greeted by Kristina Honegger, Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to the Republic of Belarus.

The first award ceremony was also held against a backdrop of fresh spring greenery. Following the results of the contest, six children received Diplomas from the Synodal Department for Culture and Church Art of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, and four more received Diplomas from the National Research Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for thematic drawings in the "The Insect World Around Us" nomination.

Young artists, cartoonists and photographers received the awards from the International project "In My Homeland" in one of the exhibition halls. The students of the string and bow department of the Children's Music School of Arts No.18 in Minsk created a special mood throughout the ceremony. The students received Diplomas of the contests and gifts from the organisers and partners of the project – A1 and Malvina companies, the embassies of India and Kazakhstan in the Republic of Belarus – from the hands of Yanina Krukovich, chairman of the jury of the art contest of recent years, as well as the ambassadors of India and Switzerland and representatives of the embassies of Kazakhstan, Great Britain and Germany. During the award ceremony, everyone in the audience could see not only the author, but also his work.

Individual authors were also awarded a special Diploma from the Minsk State Art College named after A.K. Glebov, one of the leading art educational institutions in Belarus. This award is given within the "In My Homeland" project for the second year in a row. Representatives of the college chose 3 works by young Belarusian authors to encourage and support their artistic creativity.

While some students received awards, others could occupy themselves on interactive locations. They traveled into art history, collecting paintings and guessing their authors, determining what is true and what is fiction in the biographies of artists and the history of paintings, learned about the uniqueness of the Braslav region and the Dnieper-Sozh interfluve, immersed in the secrets of herbs and aromas and made their own fragrance paste, tested their knowledge in the field of biology and created a "green" picture, danced to the music of different countries and eras, and also refreshed themself with homemade pies in the "Tea House". During this time, the teachers were able to discuss the results and prospects of the project together with its coordinator Natalia Svyatkina.

Filled with joy and vivid impressions, the guests went home. And the organisers have already begun planning the next year of the International Art Project "In My Homeland."

See the photos