FOCUS The Minsk Times Thursday, December 9, 2010 3 Researching is good, but inventing and implementing is more vital Is it really possible to diagnose an illness and select appropriate treatment relying on genetic information? Can we pilot a helicopter or drive a car in complete darkness? How can trains fly over rails and what makes polyethylene film dissolve? What is the best way to protect yourself and your family from the damaging effects of mobile phones? These and many other questions were easily answered by scientists at the Youth Innovation Forum, also attended by Alexander Lukashenko, at the National Library By Igor Slavinsky a while about preparations for the Innovation Forum. He explained, Th ere were 136 exhibits on “We had to organise a preliminary show at the Forum, with every selection contest, since two hun- scientifi c institution and univer- dred applications were received sity bringing something unique. to participate. Th ank God, we had Several hours were needed to even so many to choose from; a decade have a short glance at them all. Th e ago, this was hardly possible. To- President changed his schedule to day, twenty percent of all Academy devote enough time to these tal- of Sciences’ researchers are under ented researchers and their work, the age of 30.” BELTA since innovations are a top priority Our clever young Belarusians Engineer-designers of BelAZ ultra-modern machinery – Mikhail Minich, Roman Shakin and Sergey Senkevich for the state. are already in demand country- Surgeons can now learn whether observed.” He does believe that our tional Library, all interested people Th e USA is a global leader not wide and are much respected they have removed all dangerous young people have the ability to do should be present — to see every- only because of its huge military abroad. Th ey directly participated cells from a patient’s body within well on the scientifi c market. Seven thing with their own eyes.” On ad- expenditure and a printing ma- in the major experiment of the seconds; they don’t even need to of the technologies and materials dressing the offi cials, the President chine for dollars; a third of all glo- 21st century: the Large Hadron leave the operating room. Th e de- on show at the Forum were world- said that their role ‘is not merely to bal patents are issued there. It has Collider. Th e Forum included re- vice is soon to pass clinical tests wide novelties, while 17 inventions praise, but to take the developers a ‘zest’ for experimentation and ports on how our young scientists’ and, within a year, could be ap- were new to Belarus. by hand and establish their contact forward thinking — something developments are being used in plied in medicine. “If these developments are with manufacturers’. Belarus also aspires to. China and Russia, alongside the Speaking about nano-technolo- export oriented and import sub- Th e President has promised to Th e Chairman of the Presidium USA and Venezuela. Th e President gies, Mr. Myasnikovich noted with stituting, then they should be im- increase support for science if it of the National Academy of Scienc- was keen to learn about the latest criticism, “We’ve achieved so much plemented into production,” noted brings tangible fruit from the re- es, Mikhail Myasnikovch, spoke for breakthrough in cancer treatment. in this sphere but no boom has been Mr. Lukashenko. “Here, at the Na- sults seen at the Forum. Relaxing before long trip Promoting ties ‘Club SV’ lounge at Minsk- on stations, reference informa- for onward travel through Bela- Passazhirsky railway station tion, a bar, semi-private booths rus and the CIS. welcomes first passengers and a musical corner. Staff will The lounge will also be open in various spheres The new VIP lounge is part be on hand to book hotels, thea- to other passengers for a fixed of a major programme by Bela- tre and concert tickets, or tickets fee. By Yelena Bondarchik Art Without Borders aims to rusian Railways to improve its promote international cultural services for passengers; similar Vitebsk hosts Information Day ties in the context of Marc Chagall rest zones are planned for every on EU Programmes creative activities. It is being real- Belarusian railway station. The event aimed to familiarise ised as part of a trans-boundary The Head of Minsk-Passazhir- the public with EU programmes, co-operation programme between sky Station, Alexander Drozhzha, promoting their initiatives, ex- Latvia, Lithuania and Belarus, explains that 30 SV international plains Oleg Kravchuk, Chairman overseen by Lyudmila Khmel- carriages travel through Minsk of the Board of the Vitebsk Al- nitskaya, Director of the Marc station daily, arriving from for- ternative Association. During a Chagall Museum. Polotsk’s City eign destinations. Now, those training seminar, he shared his Executive Committee has been with SV tickets can enter a VIP experience of implementing in- working with the EU for some lounge at Minsk’s railway station, teresting projects — including time, notes Igor Zagrekov, from staying for up to three hours free those relating to public hous- the Physical Culture, Sports and of charge. The lounge offers wire- ing. As a result, several high-rise Tourism Department. He report- less Internet access, computer log VIP comfort lounge opens at railway station buildings in the regional centre ed on the creation of the trans- allow residents to independently boundary tourist space, which solve issues of technical mainte- runs along the Zapadnaya Dvina Ready to take place in Europe nance, repair and site improve- (Daugava) River — between Dau- ment. gavpils, Polotsk and Belarus. By Vasily Malashenkov to collaboration and is ready for suing a multi-vector policy, which is rapprochement. why it has joined the Eastern Part- Belarus boasts the second At the same time, Mr. Holzapfel nership programme. Th e country is On nationwide scale largest economy amongst noted that an adequate legal frame- interested in developing the spheres Eastern Partnership members, work is needed to advance Belarus- of energy and humanitarian work, By Yelena Suponeva 14,034 people arrived in Belarus, noted the Chargé d’aff aires EU relations — both politically and alongside others. It is especially while 5,642 left ). a. i. in Minsk, Jean-Eric otherwise. He emphasised the im- keen to see the initiative provide a Belarus’ population totals 9.5m Th is year, increasing population Holzapfel portance of the Eastern Partnership mechanism to implement concrete Th e National Statistical Com- has been registered in Minsk alone Speaking at a round table ses- for Belarus-EU relations, reminding projects. Moreover, the country is mittee has announced that, as of — growing from 1,843,700 (January sion entitled Republic of Belarus those present that the programme is not begging for money for itself; November 1st, 2010 (taking into 1st) to 1,858,100 (November 1st). — European Union: Co-operation based on multilateral and bilateral rather, it is off ering projects that will consideration the preliminary re- Other regions of the country face a Strategy within a Historical Perspec- co-operation. Th e latter, in his view, benefi t the whole region. Mr. Bai- sults of the 2009 census), Belarus’ decrease in population. As of No- tive, he stressed that Belarus has a is still underused by Belarus and chorov reminded those present that population stood at 9,484,300 peo- vember 1st, 2010, the Gomel region developing market. However, he needs driving forward. unfounded discriminatory meas- ple (down 15,700 on January 1st, had 1,436,000 residents, the Minsk believes the country needs to join Alexander Baichorov, Envoy ures against Belarusian exports to 2010). Th e fall is due to the fact that region — 1,413,700, the Brest region the World Trade Organisation to Extraordinary and Minister Pleni- the EU stand against a background 24,000 more people have died than — 1,396,000, the Vitebsk region intensively liaise with the EU. He potentiary of the European Direc- of Belarus taking great strides to been born. Meanwhile, positive mi- — 1,223,000, the Mogilev region emphasised that the latter is inter- torate of the Foreign Ministry of introduce EU standards across the gration growth has accounted for an – 1,090,100, and the Grodno region ested in stability in Belarus, is open Belarus, noted that Belarus is pur- board. extra 8,400 (from January-October, — 1,067,400..