World Refugee Day 2004 National Activity Plan: Belarus

A week of refugee films will be screened in one of Minsk's central cinemas, including three fiction movies and four documentaries. The film festival will open on 20 June.

UNHCR will hold various competitions.

For children, a competition of drawings, poems and stories titled, "There is nothing better than being at home", will be organised in secondary schools. The best works will be shown at the National Museum. There will be a final gala at the Theatre of a Young Spectator with a concert and an award presentation ceremony for the winners.

A country-wide competition will also be held among graduate and post-graduate students on the best academic work on refugee, statelessness and tolerance issues.

Journalists will compete for the best article on refugee issues. They will also receive a user-friendly manual and training.

UNHCR is also participating in the 5th Republican Festival of National Cultures that will be held from 4-6 June. It will include a literature and photo exhibition, a movie on refugee issues, and speeches. Moreover, refugee artists will perform during the gala event, which will be broadcast on all national channels.

A press conference will be held on 19 June.