MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

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February 6, a two-day patriotic forum of the youth of the Union State began at the Belarusian State University.

Among the participants are more than 60 students from Belarus and Russia who study at BSU, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Ural State Law University named after V.F. Yakovlev and St. Petersburg State University. Each student has his/her own ideas and projects for preserving historical memory.

The opening ceremony was attended by State Secretary of the Union State Dmitry Mezentsev, First Deputy Minister of Education Alexander Bakhanovich, and BSU Rector Andrey Korol.

Welcoming the young people, Dmitry Mezentsev outlined the key point: “Patriotism is not a training course that can be included in textbooks. It is a special desire of the soul. Love for the Motherland cannot be instilled artificially.”

The Secretary of State of the Union State said that he was pleased with the response of the student community of the two countries: “We are glad that, first of all, university leaders and students responded to our invitation to talk about historical truth and the protection of historical memory. Today we are not having a conversation between adults and their young colleagues, we are primarily waiting for questions from young people, they want to ask us what patriotism and civic position mean to us. In turn, we want to know how they would behave if the events of 1941-1945 happened, if the events of 1812 happened, when the Belarusian regiments were defenders of the united Fatherland.”

The Secretary of State of the Union State expressed the hope that the conversation with young people will be on equal terms. In his opinion, during a sincere conversation it is important to discuss such significant issues as: what is preventing Belarus and Russia from developing today? why the West is so aggressive? Do we have the right to give up and retreat from our plans and ideas?

As part of the event, a presentation of the book “There is no statute of limitations... Crimes of fascism against the peoples of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945” took place, it was prepared for publishing with the personal participation of Dmitry Mezentsev. The issue is based on materials from the criminal case about the genocide of the Belarusian and Soviet peoples, historical facts - investigations by the Prosecutor General's Office of Belarus, decisions of the courts of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region. The book contains historical facts brought about by prosecutors seeking recognition of crimes committed by the Nazi invaders and their accomplices against civilians and prisoners of war during the Great Patriotic War on the territory of the former USSR.

The forum program includes a round table meeting on youth policy issues, when students will exchange experiences on organizing the effective work of student government bodies. As part of the presentation format students will present interesting projects and initiatives that are being implemented at universities.

In addition, a cultural program has been prepared for the participants with a visit to the Museum of Geography of the BSU and the Belarusian State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War.