Support for talented young people and youth cultural initiatives

The Republic of Belarus has been targeting to support talented young people. By Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of No 473 "On the Support for Talented Youth in the Republic of Belarus" of November 20, 1995 a special Presidential Fund for the Support of Talented Youth was established (hereinafter - the Special Fund). The Special Fund grants scholarships, specified types of awards, provides financial support. In addition to the aforementioned, the Special Fund provided financial resources for the implementation of creative projects and conjoint events with prominent masters of art from different countries, such as: training of talented young people, the organization of competitions, festivals, concerts, exhibitions and other events to encourage young talents and to promote their creations; also facilitating the participation of creative young people in international competitions, exhibitions, workshops, purchase of musical instruments, costumes, materials and equipment necessary for practicing arts. Presidential Decree No 495 of October 16, 2014 declared the year 2015 to be the Year of Youth in Belarus. The Resolution of the Council of Ministers No 1228 of December 23, 2014 approved by the Republican Action Plan for the Year of Youth. It included competitions, concerts, festivals, exhibitions, talks, literary and music events and other activities aimed at capacity building: the ART-Vocation Republican Festival of Art, the 7th Republican ART- Academia Exhibition of Contemporary Visual Arts by University Students, the Best Literary Work by Young Authors Republican Competition, the 12th Art-Major 2015 Festival of Arts, the 7th Open Republican Folk Musical Instruments Performers Contest in honor of I.I.Žynovič, the National Competition of Young Performers of the Belarusian Pop Song within the 15th National Belarusian Song and Poetry Festival, the Day of Youth as part of the 24th Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk International Festival of Arts, the Moladasc na Maršy (Youth on the Move) for young filmmakers' competition within the 12th Listapad Minsk International Film Festival, the MobilaArt Youth Mobile Cinema Festival, the 10th M@аrt.-Contact - 2015 International Youth Theatre Forum, and other events. The youth of the country actively participated in prestigious international competitions, exhibitions, festivals; they were noticed at the world's largest creative playground: the New Voices 2015 International Competition of Young Singers in Germany, the 9th Tchaikovsky International Contest of Young Musicians in Russia, Youth Delphic Games of the CIS States, the International Vocal Competition in honor of M. Magomayev, and others. Youth associations represent interests of young people. Social engagement of the youth and their civic consciousness has been raised through their participation in the activities of youth and children's organizations. As on January 1, 2016, there were 308 registered public youth associations, including 28 children's organizations. The Youth and UNESCO Clubs Committee was established as a unit within the structure of the National Commission of Belarus for UNESCO in 2013.