MOGILEV, 24 April (BelTA) – Mogilev hosted the 5th International Youth Forum “What Have You Done for the Motherland?” on 24 April to discuss preserving historical memory and implementing youth initiatives, BelTA has learned.
The event brought together representatives of city and district councils of deputies, members of Youth Councils under the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and the Mogilev Oblast Council of Deputies, as well as delegations from the Russian Federation.
The forum traditionally began with a flower-laying ceremony at the Buinichi Field Memorial Complex, the site of the heroic defense of Mogilev during the Great Patriotic War. The forum opened at the Mogilev Glory Museum.
Chairman of the Mogilev Oblast Council of Deputies and member of the Council of the Republic Aleksandr Goroshkin emphasized the international nature of the meeting. “Participating in the forum are not only young people from Mogilev Oblast but also from neighboring regions of the Russian Federation. This is very valuable, because we share a common history, and I am more than certain that we also share a common future,” he said.
According to him, the main idea of the forum is to convey to young people that a prosperous future depends not only on the state but also on the personal stance of every citizen. “Our key message is that a happy, secure and comfortable present and future is not only the responsibility of the state. It is the responsibility of every individual,” Aleksandr Goroshkin noted.
Participants discussed completed projects and regional development prospects. Andrei Turemsky, a chemistry and biology teacher at Romankov Vendorozhi Secondary School, spoke about the project “Worthy of the Heroes’ Memory.”
“In 2020, we opened a small exhibition in the history classroom. In 2025, during major renovations, we created a full-fledged museum room. Today it is fully operational. It is visited not only by students but also by representatives of other organizations,” he added.
Larisa Dolzhikova, curator of the primary branch of the Movement of the First in the Shumyachi Municipal District of Smolensk Oblast, also shared her experience. “When we first came here, we only had drafts of a volunteer squad and media center project. The Movement of the First in our district was just being launched. Now it is a full-fledged community. Inspired by the example of Belarusian youth, who actively win grants, we also decided to participate in competitions. I presented the project Family Weekends and won. The grant allowed us to begin renovating a building for a youth space. We are now steadily preparing for its opening. Such trips are energizing: you see so many active people around you,” she said.
Mogilev Mayor Sergei Chertkov recalled that this year is special for the city: in the summer, Mogilev will mark the 85th anniversary of its heroic defense. He presented Aleksandr Goroshkin with a handwritten copy of Konstantin Simonov’s trilogy The Living and the Dead, rewritten by local youth and residents. “You are the heirs of the Great Victory. Preserve this memory and be true patriots of your Motherland,” he told the participants.
Aleksandr Goroshkin handed the book over to the museum, noting that its collection is constantly expanding thanks to contributions from local residents and support from the Union State of Belarus and Russia. “This remarkable book, rewritten by our schoolchildren and Mogilev residents, will take its rightful place in the Mogilev Glory Museum,” he concluded.
Photos by Oleg Foinitsky/ BelTA
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