Belarusian President attends nationwide meeting of student teams

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko took part in the nationwide meeting of student teams on 13 December.

Before taking part in a nationwide meeting of student teams the head of state went to an interactive exhibition that highlighted various aspects of the student team movement.

The exhibition in the entry hall of the Sport Palace introduced visitors to the history of the student team movement in the Soviet Union and in modern Belarus. It featured photos of large-scale construction projects where students of Belarusian higher education institutions worked as teams. The organizers came up with a photo of the President: it pictures Aleksandr Lukashenko in the company of his own student team.

“The guys have found unique photos. They say there are familiar members of the student teams. A land reclamation canal in Bykhov District. But unfortunately, they don’t have the original,” First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union Aleksandr Lukyanov said.

“This one looks like me,” the head of state agreed.

Pedagogical student teams presented themed tabletop games at the exhibition (“My virgin soil”, “The chronograph of historical memory: Belarus’ liberation” and other ones) and a historical reenactment of the heroic deed of defenders of the city of Polotsk using virtual reality technologies. All of it was developed and made by participants of student teams. They use it when they work as camp counsellors in health improvement camps and during patriotic events.

“Over 650 pedagogical teams or over 7,000 fighters have worked this year,” the students told the President. “We highly appreciate our work and take pleasure in participating in all events. And certainly we don’t remain idle. We grow and we also develop games leveraging virtual reality.”

At the location featuring student teams working in the manufacturing sector participants of the student team Molot [hammer] named after Hero of the Soviet Union P.M. Gavrilov arranged a master class by assembling the engine for a VAZ-2106 car. The head of state saw an assembled engine.

“This is hardware. By doing it, they acquire the main skills: how things should be matched, assembly, and disassembly. And then they work at MTZ, at MAZ,” Aleksandr Lukyanov explained.

“Well, this is useful!” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.

The first secretary of the Central Committee of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union noted that student teams work at many enterprises. Atlant Company offers the largest number of jobs to them. Students have helped assemble about 23,000 refrigerators and 4,000 washing machines this year.

“I’ve seen it. Well done for not leaving Atlant Company. They may be able to push Atlant to the top,” the President supposed.

But the key brand of the student work movement is construction work after all. Students work at many construction sites, including landmark ones. This year they have also helped restore sidewalks after boisterous weather.

“A program has been developed thanks to support from the Education Ministry. And they are already getting blue-collar professions. Including track servicemen. Over 5,000 certificates like that have been granted this year,” Aleksandr Lukyanov said.

“Thank you. We need it a lot,” the head of state thanked the guys.

Student teams working in agriculture presented innovative products, which offer new opportunities for the efficient use of the reproductive potential of animals and for creating a strategic stock of the genetic material for the animal husbandry industry.

Many members of the agricultural student teams work as harvester driver assistants. Aleksandr Lukashenko wondered whether they can drive a harvester themselves.

“I already can,” stated Dmitry Liskovets, a student of Belarusian State Agrarian Technical University. He harvested over 1,000 tonnes of grain during the harvesting campaign.

“Which harvester?” the President asked for clarification.

It turned out that Dmitry Liskovets operated a Don 1500B harvester. The head of state remarked that the guy should drive a more up-to-date harvester already: “That is not a harvester. We’ll give you a better one.”

Student teams working in healthcare demonstrated a simulator for the cardiopulmonary resuscitation of an adult at the exhibition. They also presented innovative projects “Silver-bearing medical bandages”, “The cosmetic complex Gluderm”, “Individual compression garments for treating cicatrical skin changes”, “Inner sole for easy walking and running”.

The venue organized by student teams working in the service sector looked like a photo studio with a green screen and multiple photo cameras: there are future reporters among members of this particular student team. Participants of the nationwide meeting of student teams were offered a master class on photography using a film photo camera Zenit made in the 1980s. Aleksandr Lukashenko posed for a commemorative photo as well.

“I had a slightly larger photo camera. This one is not exactly like that, I guess. But this reflex camera was awesome!” the head of state recalled his youth.

Modern selfies using a smartphone were also taken.

“Labor!” the President started saying.

“Is cool!” members of the student teams finished saying.

“Everyone is so advanced!” the Belarusian leader shared impressions of what he had seen.

"Do not lose your enthusiasm. Remember that your ideas and boundless energy move Belarus forward. I believe in you, your strength and talents. I know for sure that more great discoveries and achievements are ahead of us. Because we live in such time. And this time chose us!" the head of state said during the closing ceremony of the third labor semester of 2024 within the nationwide meeting of student teams.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that for 65 years several generations, millions of people worked in student teams. "It is encouraging that Belarus and Russia are the only countries in the post-Soviet space that have preserved this wonderful initiative for young people and given it a new lease of life," he noted.

About 20 years ago, in 2003, sovereign Belarus implemented the first youth construction projects: overhaul of the Khatyn and Mound of Glory memorial complexes. "It was a good start," the Belarusian leader stated.

"Further, your hard work helped to reconstruct the Augustow Canal, build the BelNPP, the State Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War, and other landmark sites. You initiated the participation in the construction of these objects. A short while ago we met at the opening of the renovated Tractor Stadium. I saw how proud and happy you were. I am convinced that those who have gained such experience are true patriots of our country. You are different, you are true patriots, because someone who builds something with their own hands will never destroy anything and will not allow others to do it," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

He recalled that in April at the Belarusian People's Congress young people asked to support their initiative and assign the status of All-Belarusian Youth Construction Site to the construction sites of National Center for Patriotic Education of Youth at the Kobrin fortification of the Brest Fortress. "The landmark project not only united the whole country. It became international. Over 200 foreigners also made their contribution. I am sure that there will be other All-Belarusian Youth Construction Sites, where you will work at an accelerated pace, as always. In five, ten, or maybe twenty years you will be proud to show your children what you created. I believe this tradition will continue," the President said.