Yeugeni Nikolaichuk. Exclusive to VK
The annual All-Caucasian Youth Forum Mashuk 2012 has opened in Pyatigorsk. For the third time the forum will gather together the most talented and initiative young people. Participants came with original ideas expressed on paper. In three years the education camp gained international status; 2.5 thousand young people will take part from 1 to 17 of July. This year boys and girls will attend not only from all constituents of the North Caucasus Federal District, but also from the Volgograd Region, Khanty-Mansiisk Autonomous District, Adygea, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, and Ukraine.
The first day of the camp was marked by the Day of the Stavropol Region. Participants tried to establish a relevant atmosphere at the festival with a walk-around, dances, the traditional round loaf, outdoor Cossack games – everything that approaches young people. A special accent was made by Russian matrioshka dolls which were decorated by participants of regional delegations. Stavropol residents presented original art works. The initiators of the festival organized a craftsmen town where one could see beautiful pictures by local artists and craftworks, as well as take part in workshops on making leather, glass, beads, and dough goods. Achievements of young inventors and businessmen of the region were presented separately. The innovators paid attention to healthy eating, herbal medicine, production of electro-bicyclemobiles, and aviation and space technologies.
Top guests were present at the opening ceremony – the governor of the region, Valery Zerenkov, the chairman of the Stavropol Duma, Yuri Bely, the deputy envoy of the president of Russia in the NCFD, Yuri Oleinikov, PMs of Russia, Mikhail Markelov and Olga Kazakova, the head of Pyatigorsk, Lev Travnev, Pyatigorsk and Circassian Archbishop Feofilakt, and Mufti of the Stavropol Region Muhammad Khadzhi Rakhimov.
The deputy envoy of the president of Russia in the NCFD, Yuri Oleinikov, stated that “Mashuk was initiated by the President, and we understood from the very beginning that our task is not easy. But we can say that the third forum will be much more interesting, active, intensive, and effective than previous ones. We have realized all mistakes and wishes of participants and maintained the best aspects.”
Valery Zerenkov mentioned that the Stavropol Region welcomes Mashuk for the third time. The number of participants and good projects is growing: “Everyone dreams about the development of his or her region, about people who come there. It is necessary and great,” the governor said. “Young people understand that life united us in the North Caucasus, and we should live in peace.” He was supported by the PM of Russia, Mikhail Markelov: “Our forum confirms that Russia is united and inseparable. We have no need to prove anything to anyone – the Caucasus knows what tolerance is.”
Participants told the authorities their ideas and modern young people have plenty of them. Many boys and girls say that they hope to find to new friends, exchange fresh ideas with each other and gain new knowledge which will be useful in their future careers.
After the festival the governor inspected the material supply of the camp and its teaching curriculum. This year the education program of the forum has changed dramatically. The deputy head of the Stavropol Committee on Youth Affairs, the general executive of the forum, Vladimir Selin, said that now it would have a practical character – less theoretical, and more practical. The focus is on interactive forms of working with young people. The teaching staff (about 100 people) was composed from tutors from five federal districts of the country. All of them are practitioners working in various spheres.
The forum has six directions today: “Media Caucasus” – for journalists and bloggers, “Industry of hospitality” – for specialists in the service and tourism industry, “Neighbourliness” – for volunteers, “Investments and Innovations” – for young scientists, “My business” – for businessmen, and “Civic Engagement” – for social activists.
Mashuk 2012 has its own television broadcasting materials online and a newspaper. The content of TV-programs and the edition is defined by residents of the camp who will describe everything that is going on in the forum.
There are 22 nominations where young people can present their projects. They cover almost all spheres of activity and interests of the modern youth. It is expected that after the forum more than 850 participants will get material support. However, only young people from the North Caucasus regions can compete for grants. The complete grant fund of the camp is 100 million rubles.
