A sobriety trend: a forum in Vitebsk discussed ways to overcome a bad habit. 

January 21, Vitebsk . The city forum "Sobriety: A Basic National Value" was held in Vitebsk for the first time, BelTA reports.

The forum was part of the "Healthy Cities" project. Secondary school teachers, psychologists, representatives of vocational schools and universities, specialists from territorial social service centers, and individuals responsible for ideological work in Vitebsk organizations gathered at the city executive committee to discuss this important issue. Alexander Peredkov,

Chief State Sanitary Doctor of Vitebsk and the Vitebsk District, noted that statistical studies show a downward trend in alcohol consumption per capita. "It is also very noteworthy that recently we have seen many young people who are committed to a healthy lifestyle. The sports facilities created in the city are in demand among them," he said.
Alexander Peredkov emphasized that the government's efforts to educate the public are yielding results. "This process is endless. But bans won't solve anything; we need to foster a responsible attitude toward our own health," he said.
Vitaly Vinokurov, the Vitebsk Diocese's responsible coordinator for sobriety education, focused on this. "We need to shift the focus from alcoholism prevention to promoting sobriety, reviving public awareness of sobriety as a norm. There's a wonderful example in our history of a priest, doctor, and teacher working together to instill sobriety beliefs from childhood. To some extent, we need to revive this tradition. One of the most important foundations of this work is personal example," he said.
Vitaly Vinokurov has headed the Vitebsk Diocesan Brotherhood "Sobriety" for over 10 years. "This is a community of people who want to live a sober life. One of the main results of our work is the number of people who have taken vows of sobriety. In our parish alone, there are about a hundred of them," he added.