A. Lanskaya wins Vitebsk 2011 Grand Prix, Kazakhstan's signer gets 3rd prize

The awarding ceremony was held at the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic on 13 July. Alyona Lanskaya was given a Grand Prix worth $15,000, a special prize Lira and a diploma. The first prize went to Vladimir Kvasnitsa from Ukraine. He got $9,000, a special prize Lira and a diploma. The jury was chaired by Belarus' Culture Minister Pavel Latushko.
According to BelTA, the second prize and $6,000 was shared by Ruta, a student of the Lithuanian Music Academy and TV presenter and David Deyl, a composer and pianist from Czechia. They got special prizes Lira and diplomas.

Alisher Karimov from Kazakhstan and Cristina Skarlat from Moldova shared the third prize of $3,000. They also got special prizes Lira and diplomas.

A Vladimir Mulyavin prize for best presentation of the national theme and excellent performance was presented to Dainis Skutelis from Latvia.

Special prizes of the Union State Parliamentary Assembly were bestowed upon Alyona Lanskaya from Belarus and Marie Carne from Russia.

Special prizes of the CIS Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund (a certificate to record a solo album) have been presented to Marie Carne (Russia) and Narek Makaryan (Armenia).

A special award of the Mir Interstate TV and Radio Company for preserving national traditions "Through Song Towards Community" went to Zavid Abashidze (Georgia).

For the 20-year history of the Vitebsk song contest Belarus has won four Grands Prix: Maxim Sapatskov (2003), Piotr Yelfimov (2004), Polina Smolova (2005) and this year's Alyona Lanskaya. Among the winners were Andrei Khlestov, Inna Afanasieva, Irina Dorofeyeva, Natalia Podolskaya, Gunesh, Georgy Koldun.

Twenty singers from twenty countries took part in the anniversary song contest.

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