Nearly 10,000 people attending congress of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Minsk

About 10,000 people are attending the third regional congress of Jehovah’s Witnesses that began in Traktar Stadium in Minsk on Friday.

According to the organizers, the event brought together 5,000 people in 2011 and 7,000 people last year.

Jehovah’s witnesses from dozens of Belarusian cities are participating in this year’s congress, which will come to an end on Sunday. Also in attendance are guests from Ukraine and Russia.

In his speech, Uladzimir Pushkow, chairman of the congress, extolled the virtues of the Bible and its relevance for the modern world.

In an interview with BelaPAN, organizer Syarhey Mandrenka said that similar congresses in other countries also brought together thousands of people. "The congress is a good opportunity to see each other and make new acquaintances," he said. "By nature, Jewhovah’s Witnesses are very sociable people who like to share the gospel with their neighbors, smile and meet."

Mr. Mandrenka noted that obedience to the Bible made people law-abiding and useful for society. "One of the subjects that will be discussed during the congress is family life," he said. "We never forget about young people because they face a great many temptations nowadays and are particularly in need of good guidance."

The association of Jehovah’s Witnesses was officially registered in Belarus in 1994. As of June 2012, it reportedly included 67 communities with a total of 5,000 members. // BelaPAN