On May 12, 2026, the solemn opening of the International Youth Forum "Meaning. Life. The future."
The Forum brought together representatives of the state, the Church, public organizations and youth associations to discuss issues of preserving and strengthening traditional spiritual, moral and family values. The participants paid special attention to the topics of a strong family, the birth and upbringing of children, the continuity of generations, a healthy lifestyle, social stability and youth responsibility for the future.
The forum was organized by the Pokrov Charitable Foundation for Family, Motherhood and Childhood Support, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian Exarchate and the Republican Institute of Higher Education.
More than 200 people took part in the event. Among them are delegations of institutions of higher education of the Republic of Belarus, leaders of youth organizations, activists of various youth structures, representatives of the Youth Council under the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, the youth wing of the Belarusian Union of Women, as well as youth associations of the Belarusian Exarchate.
The opening ceremony was led by Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl. In his speech, he noted that the state is doing a lot to strengthen traditional spiritual and moral values among young people. At the same time, according to the archpastor, it is especially important that young people themselves discuss the pressing issues of our time and jointly seek answers to them.
Metropolitan Veniamin emphasized that the Church offers young people spiritual experience accumulated over thousands of years and tested in a variety of circumstances. Despite the fact that modern youth live in new conditions and it is necessary to speak to them in a language they understand, human nature itself remains unchanged, and the soul, inner needs and values of a person form a reliable foundation for a kind and meaningful life.
Among the honored guests of the forum were representatives of the legislative and executive authorities, public and youth associations of the Republic of Belarus.
One of the important events of the forum was the award ceremony for the winners of the V Republican Contest of social youth projects "Youth of Belarus for life, morality and family values". The contest is aimed at supporting youth initiatives, developing the potential of young Belarusians in solving socially significant tasks and drawing public attention to the need to counter negative phenomena among young people.
In the 2025/2026 academic year, the competition received 290 applications from 248 educational institutions of the Republic of Belarus. 2,040 people participated in the implementation of the projects, a total of 1,134 events were held.
The forum also awarded the participants of the Girl—Girl—Woman project, who were highly active in educational programs, workshops and dialogue platforms dedicated to the culture of family values, responsible attitude to family, motherhood and fatherhood.
The work of the forum continued in five thematic sections. Psychologists, teachers and clergy conducted workshops and talks for young people on topical issues of spiritual and moral education, family culture and personal responsibility.
The participants and guests of the forum were also able to get acquainted with the photo exhibition "Family — the cradle of virtues". The exhibition is dedicated to the qualities of a person that are formed through the performance of good deeds. According to the organizers, the exhibition reminds that family virtues make the family a stable system, and the traditions of their upbringing are passed on from the older generation to the younger.