The 11th Open Economic and Business Festival “Stairs to Success” was held in Minsk from 21 to 23 April. The festival was organized by the Minsk State Palace for Children and Youth and the NGO “Youth Economy Support and Development Center” (NGO YESDC).

The purpose of the festival is to promote economic and business education among young people, to pilot and to introduce the new teaching methodologies for the educational courses «Basics of Business», «Basics of the Economics Theory», to exchange opinions and to attract attention to the development of youth business.

On the one hand, the idea of the economic and business festival for the Belarusian schoolchildren is supported by prominent teachers who realize the advantages of the market economy. On the other hand the need for such a festival is understood and supported by business community and major international organizations.

The festival was also supported by the Business Department and the Education Department of the Minsk Executive Committee. Methodological and expert support was provided by the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE USA), the International Finance Corporation and the Joint Project of the United Nations Development Program and the Belarusian Government “Assistance in Elaboration of the Basic Foundation for a National Poverty Reduction Strategy in Belarus”.

As usual, the “Stairs to Success –2004” has a very extensive agenda. During the first day the festival participants were engaged in two contests “Economic Tenders” and “Economic Forum”. “Economic tenders” are intended to test the economic knowledge in an unusual form. Within the “Economic Forum” the teams assumed the role of the economic advisors of 22 countries and tried to improve living standards in their countries through international trade and efficient negotiating process. On 22 April the Hall of the Palace for Children and Youth became a Market Place of Business Plans developed by young people. This was a very important and difficult day for the participants as they had to make an original presentation of their ideas and to advocate for their business-plans by answering incisive questions of their opponents. Business plans included establishment of youth enterprises for production of souvenirs, establishment of a fitness center, social service, tourism companies and school farms. Though the projects were completely different, all of them were united by the festival slogan «Good deeds are in fashion in this century”. Traditionally the organizers of the “Stairs to Success” Festival try to focus the attention of the future businessmen on the need to address social problems and, above all, on the need to create jobs for young people. The qualified jury gave a high appraisal to the ideas of the future businessmen noting that these ideas are quite realistic.

The best business plans will be published in the DELO (East+West) Journal. The guests of the festival found it very interesting to study the works presented at the exhibition “Economic Concepts”.

Advertising ideas presented by the festival participants within the contest “Entrepreneurship and Advertising” were innovative and very interesting. This year the “Way to Success” Festival brought together 22 teams representing schools and lyceums from all regions of Belarus.

The winners of the festivals were the teams of the secondary school N 51 (Minsk), the secondary school N38 (Gomel) and the secondary school N 99 (Minsk).

The winners were awarded with the diplomas and gifts from the UN Office in Belarus and the Education Department.

Every year the number of participants willing to test their abilities in the environment which is very close to the real market is growing. The festival is an opportunity to acquire business skills for the Belarusian future businessmen whose major challenge is to improve the living standards in their country.

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