On 20 February, a meeting of scientists-linguists with students from Minsk gymnasium No. 23 with the Belarusian language of instruction took place at the Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics within the Week of Native Language.

Welcoming the guests, Director of the Center for Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature Research of the NAS of Belarus, Academician, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Doctor of Architecture, Professor Alexander I. Lokotko noted that the Belarusian language "is the most important sign of belonging to Belarus, Belarusian citizenship. The Belarusian language is what makes us Belarusians. If there is a Belarusian language there are Belarusians people with a deep culture and history".

Alexander A. Lukashanets, First Deputy Director for scientific work, Academician of the NAS of Belarus, Doctor of Philology, Professor, noted that the prestige of proficiency in the Belarusian language increases in the modern Belarusian society. He also expressed confidence that the current gymnasium students will be able to do a lot in the future to ensure the Belarusian language continues to live and develop, that is why is why the visit of gymnasium students to the Institute is a great honor for the organization.

Sergei L. Garanin, Deputy Director on scientific work of the Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics, Candidate of Philological Sciences, and Irina V. Budko, leading researcher of the Department of History of the Belarusian language, held an open lesson on the history of the Belarusian language. They told gymnasium students about main milestones in the emergence and development of writing, book printing and interesting facts about the Belarusian language on our lands.