By Nina Mozheiko: The Special Fund of the President of Belarus for Talented Youth Support was set up in the mid-90s to provide necessary conditions for bringing up talented youth. Last year, it marked its 20th anniversary.
The Fund features three age groups covering the age range from 0 to 31 years. The main condition is participation in national or international competitions.
Over the 21 years of its existence, the President’s Special Fund has supported 3,690 young people and 254 creative teams. A total of 365 personal and 49 collective grand prizes have been presented. 1,730 students have received scholarships, and more than 800 have been provided financial assistance. In addition, the state has financed 380 grants for purchasing musical instruments, stage costumes and implementation of creative projects.
Belarus’ experience in setting up such a fund is really unique. Its neighboring countries have similar initiatives, but on a private basis. By the way, Belarus is the leader among post-Soviet states in terms of the number of creative educational institutions.
The final decision on awarding a prize or scholarship is made by the Council of the Special Fund. Candidates are nominated by an expert and artistic commission on the basis of their achievements over the past three years.
