Youth Policy
Structure of state bodies for youth affairsToday, all conditions are created in the Republic of Belarus for young people – for obtaining quality education, employment, starting a family, and realizing their potential to the fullest for the benefit of the entire society.
Youth is the strength of our country, a strategic and personnel resource, and all issues related to the lives of young people fall within the sphere of national interests. The potential of the younger generation is traditionally in demand in the economic, technological, scientific, social, and information spheres.
Youth policy in the Vitebsk region is implemented in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Fundamentals of State Youth Policy", the state program "Belarus Intellectual" for 2026–2030, and other legislative acts. The main directions of state youth policy are:
civic and patriotic education of youth;
promotion of a healthy lifestyle for youth;
state support for young families;
promotion of the right to work for youth;
state support for youth in obtaining education;
state support for talented and gifted youth;
implementation of youth personnel policy;
state support for youth initiatives;
promotion of the right to associate for youth;
promotion of the development and implementation of youth social initiatives;
international youth cooperation.
State youth policy may also be carried out in other areas.
The goals of state youth policy are:
comprehensive education of youth, promotion of their spiritual, moral, intellectual, professional, and physical development;
creating the necessary conditions for the free and effective participation of youth in public life, realizing the potential of youth for the benefit of the entire society;
social, material, legal, and other support for youth;
expanding opportunities for youth in choosing their life path.
As of January 1, 2025, there are 175,676 young people aged 14 to 31 living in the Vitebsk region, which is 16.39% of the Vitebsk region's population.
A set of measures for the civic and patriotic education of youth is being implemented with the aim of fostering national and civic consciousness, respect for the history, culture, and traditions of the Belarusian people among youth.
The region is implementing the following projects:
· the regional event of the All-Belarusian campaign "WE ARE CITIZENS OF BELARUS!";
· the regional military-patriotic game "Zarnitsa. Northern Region";
· the youth Belarusian-Russian educational and patriotic camp "Kurgan";
· September 17 – National Unity Day;
· projects: "Belarus – a Source of Inspiration", "Belarus Remembers!", "Flowers of the Great Victory", "Thank You for the Victory!";
· the regional online marathon "Songs of Victory";
· the civic-patriotic campaign "Youth Remembers";
· the regional campaign "One Day with MOOP"
· the regional stage of the republican military-applied game "Breakthrough"
- the regional military-applied game among working youth "Bastion"
A specific system for organizing youth employment has been established in the Vitebsk region. In 2025, 7,011 people were employed in 471 student teams, including 4,134 minors; 6,200 people were employed in volunteer teams (336 teams).
The region pays great attention to work with young families and rural youth. A number of events are being implemented:
· the regional competition among young families "Master of the Village";
· the rural youth forum;
· the regional competition among youth combine harvester crews and young drivers "Youth Crew";
· the forum of young families, and others.
A number of events are held in the Vitebsk region to promote a healthy lifestyle:
· regional water trip for working youth,
· regional youth tourist rally,
· bike rides,
· sports games, and more.
Social support and further promotion of gifted and talented youth.
Continuing the best traditions of generations, youth makes a worthy contribution to the economic, social, and spiritual development of Belarus. For this, young men and women have the main thing – the desire to change society for the better. The intellectual and creative potential of young people is inexhaustible, and their initiative, energy, and desire to realize themselves are what the future well-being of the state is based on.
Youth initiatives in various forms are supported and promoted in the region.
Events in this direction:
· regional educational forum for working youth "Perspective";
· youth creativity festival "Student Spring" among higher education institutions of the Vitebsk region and regions of the Russian Federation;
· regional stage of the republican championship in speed assembly of puzzles "I Know Belarus";
· regional forum for young specialists
· regional youth project "100 Ideas for Belarus";
· regional tournament in intellectual games "Championship of the Vitebsk Region among Working Youth";
· regional youth forum "Time of Your Opportunities" and others.
In the Republic of Belarus, mechanisms have been developed to involve youth in conscious participation in the life of Belarusian society, aimed at its improvement. One of them is the competition of youth initiatives, organized by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus.
Winners of the 5th season:
"Safety from Childhood", Vitebsk Regional Organization of the RPO "Belarusian Red Cross";
"Free Youth Zone. Educational Project Office", Vitebsk Regional Committee of the PO "BRSM";
"Inclusive Platform 'On Equal Terms'", primary organization of the State Educational Institution "Palace of Children and Youth of Novopolotsk",
Innovative Engineering and Technical Center "EngineeriUM", primary organization of the NGO "BRSM" of the State Educational Institution "Vitebsk City Center for Additional Education for Children and Youth",
"Information Technologies", primary organization of the NGO "BRSM" of the Educational Institution "Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov",
"Psychological Relaxation Room 'Emotional Harbor'", primary organization of the NGO "BRSM" of the Healthcare Institution "Dokshitsy Central District Hospital".
Youth Day is celebrated brightly and on a large scale at the International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" – a holiday of amazing impressions, vivid emotions, and unforgettable memories. Youth Day at the International Festival of Arts "Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk" was first held in 2004. For 23 years now, as part of the official program of the cultural forum, the youth holiday has been gathering thousands of active, talented, and creative young people from all over the country. Moreover, the focus is not only on supporting creative and gifted youth and collectives but also on fostering patriotism and civic consciousness among young people. One of the central events of the holiday is the national festival-competition of youth creativity "Fire of Youth Talents," in which young artists from all over Belarus – collectives and solo performers – demonstrate their talents in three competitions: "Fire of Dance," "Fire of Voice," and "Fire of Uniqueness."
Information Field of Work with Youth
To inform youth, accounts of territorial committees and the Vitebsk Regional Committee of the NGO "BRSM" have been created and are functioning on the social networks VKontakte, Instagram, and Telegram. The accounts feature information about planned and completed events within the framework of implementing the main activities of the NGO "BRSM," useful information about cybersecurity, safety rules, and prevention of unlawful behavior.
The following internet projects are being implemented on the internet platforms of the Vitebsk Regional Organization of the NGO "BRSM": the regional youth labor internet project "Selfie_Pratsa," the media project "PRO_Zakon," "Labor Thursday," and the regional competition-marathon "Family in Focus." Since 2021, the Telegram channel "Youth of Vitebsk Region" has been operating, actively attracting an increasing number of subscribers among young people.
International cooperation will be further developed within the framework of the following events:
· Belarusian-Russian project "Roads of Memory";
· Youth forum "Friendship Without Borders";
· International youth forums;
· Interstate training media forums with the participation of youth organizations;
· Belarusian-Russian forum of young leaders of border regions;
· Holding of "Leadership Without Borders" meetings;
· "Leadership Academy" seminars and others.
Law of the Republic of Belarus of December 7, 2009 No. 65-Z "On the Fundamentals of State Youth Policy"
Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of December 16, 2022 No. 429 "On the Activities of Special Funds of the President of the Republic of Belarus"
Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus of February 18, 2020 No. 58 "On the Organization of Student Detachment Activities on the Territory of the Republic of Belarus"