The book "Our President" was presented at the National Library.
The documentary-biographical essay "Our President" was presented at the National Library of Belarus, reports BELTA correspondent.
It was presented by the authorial team of the publication — Aleksandr Rad'kov, Natalia Eismont, Vladimir Pertzov, Aleksandr Karlyukevich.
The press secretary of the President of Belarus, Natalia Eismont, said that the path taken by the authorial team was long and difficult.
— We did not set ourselves the task of writing a biography of the President. Moreover, we did not set out to reveal any behind-the-scenes aspects of political life and, God forbid, to create something artificially flashy, shocking, or sensational. This is not our style and not our method, — she said. — The task, as I define it for myself internally, is to remind what path the President has taken and continues to take every day, how much has been done and is being done for our country, for each of us.
Natalia Eismont noted that many of the journalists who work with the head of state every day are well aware of the President's attitude towards such materials and works about him.
— No leaderism. This is not only our slogan and motto. We have a definite taboo on such things, — she emphasized.
Taking on such work was a huge responsibility, the press secretary of the President of Belarus is convinced.
— We all understand that a book about the President is a book that everyone will examine under a microscope. First of all, the President himself, our people, you and I, our opponents, — she said. — And yet, despite all these circumstances, after a long search and doubts, we decided to take on this task.
The team of authors long nurtured the idea, sought the style of presenting the material, the form of this book, Natalia Eismont continued.
— We searched for ways to engage and captivate. We worked, taking breaks, argued a lot, discussed, shortened some parts, added others, life threw us various things. Last year’s flight of the first Belarusian cosmonaut — we know the President's personal involvement in this most important story, the global story of our country. Of course, this could not be omitted from the book, — noted the President's press secretary.
It was difficult to start the work, but no less difficult to finish, she noted. It seemed that a better angle could be found, paragraphs and words could be rearranged. They struggled for a long time to put a period at the end. However, it happened, and the book was placed on the President's desk.
— For a very long time, the President did not know about this work. We really did it on our own initiative, independently, — added Natalia Eismont.
— In August 2024, as we thought it was entirely ready, the book was placed on the main working desk of our country. We know that the President looked at the book. There were no evaluations, no reactions, — she said. — There was only one instruction: this book should be read by different people, from different age and social groups, our people, politically neutral people.
The President's instruction was fulfilled.
— This book was read by a programmer and a pensioner, a deputy and the director of the National Library, the head of one of our central media outlets, specialized experts in the most important areas for us. And this was quite an active participation. Each person who looked at the book had their own comments, their own suggestions. We took many of them into account and continued to refine it, — the President's press secretary reported.
Natalia Eismont emphasized that the final version was the result of the participation of a large number of people in this work, resulting in a truly expert-popular effort.
At the same time, the authorial team sought the features that such a book should have.
— We decided that it is very important to evoke a sense of involvement in the presidential work, the presidential fate. In this regard, additional materials appeared in the book, — noted Natalia Eismont.
Thus, in the first part, which tells about childhood, youth, university years, and military service, one can see a real exclusive — a copy of the Komsomol characteristic of Alexander Lukashenko, a copy of a page from his student record book. Now all this can appear in every home, every apartment, every office.
The publication also features handwritten theses of the head of state, made during his participation in the UN General Assembly in September 2015 in New York.
— This is an important moment that characterizes our President, — said the press secretary. — We all know very well that the head of state personally works on each speech. Especially on such fundamental, resonant speeches.
Natalia Eismont noted that she herself saw how the President, while at the UN General Assembly, listened to world leaders and polished his speech, although a lot of work had been done by the Presidential Administration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs beforehand. —
Work of this kind goes on until the last second, literally until the moment of stepping up to the podium. It is necessary to do it in such a way that we are listened to and heard from large podiums, — she emphasized, adding that the mentioned materials should evoke a sense of involvement in every reader.
As reported at the presentation, the book can be purchased in central bookstores and in "Peršy" stores.