Youth Joins in Union State Formation

The third festival “Youth Is for the Union State” took place in Rostov-on-Don from 11th to 17th of September. Festival organizers aimed to show young citizens of Belarus and Russia that they are full participants of political and social life as well as to help them join in the Union State formation,” as is reported by the press service of the Union State Parliamentary Assembly (PA), festival’s initiator.

The third festival “Youth Is for the Union State” took place in Rostov-on-Don from 11^th to 17^th of September. Festival organizers aimed to show young citizens of Belarus and Russia that they are full participants of political and social life as well as to help them join in the Union State formation,” as is reported by the press service of the Union State Parliamentary Assembly (PA), festival’s initiator.

The festival displayed not only an increasing role that is played by the younger generation in all areas of a modern society’s life but also taught young people to demonstrate their civic position with confidence, was noted at the PA.

The forum has gathered a great number of participants, spectators and guests including young people from different regions of Russia (Voronezh, Volgograd, Astrakhan, Smolensk, Pskov, Orlov, Chelyabinsk, Leningrad and other regions, including the city of Rostov-on-Don) and Belarus (Grodno, Vitebsk, Minsk and other ones).

On 17^th September during the grand closing of the festival the jury named the winners. The grand prize was won by Yana Kurilenko (Vitebsk); first-prize-winner award was given to Alexander Elovskikh (Moscow). Second-prize-winner award was received by Mikhail Lila (Mozyr) while third-prize-winner ones were awarded to Aleksha Cherny (Mogilev) and Julia Petrash (Bobruisk).

A special award for the Union State Parliamentary Assembly and I.I.Savvidi Charitable Foundation was presented to the best Belarusian performer – Yana Kurilenko (Vitebsk) as well as to the best Russian one – Alexander Elovskikh (Moscow).

Besides that, eight creative groups – festival participants – were presented with the Union State Secretary awards.

The festival was held with the participation of Parliamentary Assembly deputies, members of the Committee on Youth Affairs at the State Duma of the Russian Federal Assembly, statesmen, public and political figures, representatives of Belarusian and Russian youth associations (“Belarusian National Youth Union”, “Young Guard of United Russia”, “Russian Youth Union”, Youth Democratic Anti-Fascist Movement “Our Lot”), youth amateur art groups, students, winners and participants of Union State competitive events as well as some famous artists.

The programme of the festival was rather eventful. It included flower-laying ceremony at Glory Obelisk, creative concerts, thematic evenings, the fair of youth initiatives as well as presentations of youth organizations, joint meeting of the Council of Young Legislators from South Federal District and the Council on Entrepreneurship under Rostov Regional administration. Within the framework of the festival the leaders of youth organizations and creative youth met the deputies of Russian and Belarusian National Parliaments.