Belarusian Orthodox Church and Ministry of Natural Resources Sign New Cooperation Plan

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OCP News Service – 08/08/2025

Minsk-Belarus: On August 8, 2025, the Belarusian Orthodox Church and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus signed a new action plan to further develop their cooperation. The document was signed at the Minsk Diocesan Administration by Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, and Minister Sergei Mikhailovich Maslyak.

This new plan builds on a longstanding partnership between the two organizations. A working group has been active since 2014, and an earlier cooperation program was signed in 2023. Environmental departments have been established in the Grodno and Brest dioceses, with each diocese appointing individuals specifically responsible for environmental issues.

The Belarusian Orthodox Church’s environmental program, “Man and Creation,” has been operational for over a decade, initiating and supporting various projects. Notable initiatives include environmental education for children and youth, scientific conferences, and the introduction of a “Church and Ecology” course for master’s students at the Institute of Theology of the Belarusian State University in 2024. The Church has also engaged in practical projects like placing artificial nests for owls on church buildings and organizing environmental educational trails. Seven environmental trails, two environmental corners, and a large pedestrian route, the “Road of Silence,” have been developed in collaboration with local authorities and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

A key aspect of their partnership has been joint efforts to clean and improve holy springs, riverbanks, memorial complexes, and church territories. The collaboration also includes environmental campaigns for tree planting and public environmental education, particularly targeting children and young people.

Source:

OCP News Service