A few days of Didi Chakradhari's visit to Minsk, the capital of the Republic of Belarus, were filled with inspiring classes for the BKs of the Minsk Brahma Kumaris Centre as well as meetings with important persons in the field of education, social service and religion.

Didi Chakradhari met Mr Gennady Dilian, deputy director of the National Institute of Education on 24 July. Mr Dilian expressed his concern about the decline of values in the today's society. "I realise the importance of moral education for this country's development. I do feel that all of you (BKs) are very nice people carrying out a good task, therefore I am present here (in the BK centre) today", he said. Didi Chakradhari introduced Mr Dilian to the Living Values and other activities of the Brahma Kumaris in the field of education and extended him an invitation to take part in the International Peace of Mind Retreat in October this year.

On 25 July Didi Chakradhari welcomed in the BK centre Ms Regina Davidovich, joint president of the Belarus Women's Union, an influential social organisation. Ms Davidovich especially underlined that teaching values should start within the family because childhood is the period for laying the foundation of the personality development. Describing the present-day situation in families she voiced worrying data about an increase in the number of orphans in the Republic. "Only 20 per cent of them are "true" orphans, i.e. their parents are dead. But 80 per cent of them have been just left by their parents who don't want to have children", she said. Didi Chakradhari introduced Ms Davidovich to value-based education programmes and projects for empowerment of women carried out by the Brahma Kumaris. "People have love, mercy and sympathy as their innate qualities", she said. "The problem, however, is that nowadays they are merged. They can be revived through realising our true spiritual identity and having perfect role-models to follow", she said.

On 26 July Didi Chakradhari visited a newly-built Charity House, the centre for social service of the Orthodox Church. She was warmly welcomed there by Father Fedor, the senior priest. Showing her the Charity House equipped with all the modern facilities Father Fedor informed Didi Chakradhari that the premises would be used for providing accommodation and care for lonely aged people, handicapped orphaned children and disabled adults. Didi Chakradhari appreciated effort made by the church to provide help for needy ones. She shared rich experience accumulated by the Mount Abu Global Hospital in the field of charity, especially its outreach village programmes. She left her good wishes in the Book of Guests of Honour, saying that when our mind is calm and clean and our heart is happy we can be content ourselves and help others properly. Didi Chakradhari presented Father Fedor a heart-shaped cake made by BK students. She also visited the Institute of Radiological Safety located in the premises of the Charity House and had a talk with leading scientists dealing with eliminating the consequences of the Chernobyl atomic station accident.