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Knights of Polotsk, Belarus Help Open New IATP Site

Members of the local medieval society were on hand to help open IREX’s Internet access and training site in Polotsk, Belarus on April 9. Dressed in full medieval armor, society members stood guard as Joseph O’Neill, deputy chief of mission at the US embassy in Minsk, read a letter from Ambassador Michael Kozak inviting the residents of this ancient city, founded in the ninth century, to use the modern resources of the Internet. Polotsk mayor Vladimir Tochilo joined Mr. O’Neill in cutting the ribbon officially opening the site. The Polotsk “knights” plan to use IATP’s resources to create a website about their city’s medieval history and traditions, including a section about the art of armor-making.

Initially launched in late 1999, IATP began its operations in Belarus with one Internet access site located in the capital city of Minsk. Since that time, the IATP network has grown to include nine access sites located in eight different cites. IATP empowers Belarussians to utilize information technology by providing a wide range of computer-based training programs as well as access to the Internet.

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