Laureates of President’s special funds for support of talented and gifted youth awarded in Minsk

Laureates of the special funds of the President of the Republic of Belarus for the social support of gifted pupils and students, as well as for the support of talented youth, have been honoured today at the Belarusian State Museum of the Great Patriotic War History in Minsk

According to Education Minister Andrei Ivanets, young people glorify our country on the international stage through their hard work and successes.

“Once again, we have demonstrated that Belarus is an intellectual and educated country, abundant in talented people,” he added.

The Education Minister highlighted that, thanks to nearly 30 years of support from the President, over 1,700 young people have become laureates of the special funds, and more than 43,000 have received assistance.

“I want to emphasise that talented and educated youth are a strategic asset for any country. Our task is to provide all the necessary conditions so they not only demonstrate success but also contribute to the country’s development and become professionals,” Mr. Ivanets highlighted.

Thirty-eight winners of international academic Olympiads received grant awards and the title of laureate of the President’s Special Fund for the Social Support of Gifted Pupils and Students. Additionally, four young people were recognised as laureates of the President’s Special Fund for the Support of Talented Youth for their victories in international artistic and creative contests.

Among these are Vladislav Koshchenko and Andrei Kostyanoi, fourth-year students at the Belarusian State University. Along with their team, they represented Belarus at the International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). In the final round, competing against over 230 universities from Northern Eurasia, they achieved 13th place and were awarded a first-degree diploma.

“It’s very pleasant to receive this award,” Vladislav said. “However, it wasn’t unexpected for us; it reflects many years of dedicated efforts. A key part of our achievement is our strong teamwork. During training, we not only developed problem-solving skills but also learned how to work effectively together as a team.”

Andrei Kostyanoi has now earned his third laureate badge from the special fund: during his school years, he won two gold medals at the International Zhautykov Olympiad and also received a bronze medal at the International Olympiad in Informatics for school students.

“This year we are graduating from the university, but this is just the beginning — we plan to keep pursuing new opportunities to fulfil our potential and apply the experience we have gained,” he said about their future plans.