On April 22-27, 2014 the Chair of U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad, Lesley Weiss, visited Belarus to discuss protection and preservation of places of worship, historic sites, cemeteries, and memorials associated with the heritage of Americans with roots in Belarus.
During her visit, Lesley Weiss held a wide-range of meetings, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Commissioner for Religious and Ethnic Affairs and National Archives, to representatives of civil society, historians, heritage preservation experts, and members of the Jewish Community. She also visited historical sites in and around Minsk, including the Yama Memorial, Kurapaty, and Trostenets, as well as traveled to Mogilev.
The Commission (www.heritageabroad.gov) is an independent agency of the United States Government, established to identify and report on cemeteries, monuments, and historic buildings in Eastern and Central Europe that are associated with the heritage of U.S. citizens.