On May 16, P.M. Masherov VSU is hosting the International Scientific Conference "Regional Onomastics: Problems and Research Prospects." Approximately 70 scientists from Belarus and Russia are participating in person and remotely, including early-career researchers – students and master's degree candidates. The scientific forum, traditionally organized by Vitebsk State University and Smolensk State University, is being held for the fourth time.

Opening the plenary session, First Vice-Rector of VSU, Andrei Mekhovich, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, noted that holding such conferences contributes to the preservation and development of international relations and cooperation between our fraternal countries. Andrei Pavlovich also wished everyone fruitful work and good health.

In his speech, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Knowledge and Communications, Sergei Nikolaenko, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, highlighted that the origins of this conference and regional onomastics of the border region, in general, were laid by Anna Mezenko, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, former Head of the Department of General and Russian Linguistics at our university, and Inna Korolyova, Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, Professor at the Department of Russian Language at Smolensk State University. Both continue to actively participate in the scientific forum today.

The plenary session of the conference followed, and in the afternoon, the work continued in sections: "Modern Problems of Toponymy," "Current Issues in Anthroponymy," "Onomastic Periphery," "Literary Onomastics," and "Student Onomastics." Additionally, a collection of scientific articles dedicated to problems of regional onomastics is already in print.