Komarovo – Hullhorst: relations history.



Belarus is often spoken about as a “closed” country, mostly because the leaders of Belarus don’t show any interest in contacts with Europe. But we shouldn’t forget that not only leaders of the country define the level of its “closeness”. There are many local initiatives which don’t wait for the support from the above and work out common projects with the Europeans. Centre of development of agriculture in Komarovo is a good example for this.

Mr. Gunter Guss the representative of community of Hullhorst, Germany, recalls the beginning of friendly relation:

“It started in 1991 from the aid program for those who suffered from the accident at the Chernobyl NPS. The organizer was Belarusian found of peace. Our first visit was at Christmas time on purpose. I wasn’t there then, I came to Belarus only a year after in 1992. Several years we were dealing with delivery of humanitarian supplies for hospitals and orphanages. In 1993 we invited five the so-called “practicians” to Germany. They were a woodworker, a mason, a Beltelecom worker, a mechanic and a plumber. They informed themselves about professional experience by their occupation at the German enterprises.

In 1996 one of our Belarusian friends told us that his daughter needed help. She had leukemia in the form which can be treated. We put her to the German clinic and the treatment was successful. Now she is cured and we were invited to her wedding this autumn”.

In 1992 the contact with Eduard Voitekhovich who was the head of Svir agricultural lyceum and later became the founder of the Center of agricultural entrepreneurship “Komarovo”. In cooperation with IBB starting from 2000 and until now there were many projects realized including the project of making a bakery “Hullhorst”, settling of sun battery and mini-hydro-electro station.

The last project which is realized by the community of Hullhorst in Belarus is called “Svir land - a perspective region. From the local experience to the stable development”. The aim of the project is to work out a strategy of stable development of Svir region. The project foresees training in FRG for the representatives of perspective organizations of the region.

Mr. Gunter Guss answered the question what is the interest of the German side during realization of common projects with the Belarusians.

“Our interest is not a commercial one. First we wanted to help Chernobyl victims. But when we saw faces and got acquainted with people, we got friends and completely other motivation”.

Valentina Borisova.