First National Forum of Talented Youth (24.01.2025, Kyiv)
On 24 January 2025, the First National Forum of Talented Youth took place in Kyiv with the participation of the President of Ukraine. The event gathered over 400 talented young Ukrainians from across the country, including winners of International and National Education Olympiads, prize-winners of the World Robot Olympiad, European Championship medalist athletes, school graduates with the highest results in the External Independent Testing and the National Multi-Subject Test (2021-2024), and young researchers. The Forum organised by the Fund of the President of Ukraine also welcomed state officials and representatives from the spheres of Education, Science, Culture, Sports, and Business, including a representative of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine.
In 2024, Ukrainian school students earned 25 medals (13 silver and 12 bronze) in seven international Olympiads in Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Astronomy, and Geography. These achievements highlight the resilience and determination of Ukraine’s youth despite the challenges of war.
The Forum was attended by representatives of the Office of the President of Ukraine, including Olena KOVALSKA, Deputy Head of the Office; Olha BUDNYK, Advisor and Authorized Representative of the President of Ukraine on the President’s Fund for Support of Education, Science, and Sports; Oksen LISOVYI, Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine; Matviy BIDNYI, Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine; Vadym HUTTSAYT, President of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine; and Zhanna TALANOVA, Deputy Coordinator – Senior Manager on Analytics of the National Erasmus+ Office – Ukraine.
Within the framework of the Forum, awards for talented youth for achievements in 2024 were presented by the Fund of the President of Ukraine in the following blocks “Exact Sciences and Technologies” (Mathematics, Computer Science, Information Technologies, Robotics), “Social and Humanities” (History, Law), “Natural Sciences” (Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics), “Languages and Literature”, “Intellectual and Sports Leadership”. A total of 98 awards were presented to young Ukrainians:
- prize-winners and winners of All-Ukrainian and International Olympiads;
- participants of the World Robotics Olympiad;
- athletes – prize-winners of European Championships;
- graduates of schools, who received the maximum points for the 2024 National Multi-Subject Test.
World-renowned figures addressed the youth online, including graduate of the Mechanics and Mathematics Faculty of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Maryna VYAZOVSKA, a Fields Medal Laureate, Ukrainian-Swiss mathematician, and PhD in Physical and Mathematical Sciences; and UNITED24 ambassadors Scott KELLY, NASA astronaut, and Paul NURSE, Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology or Medicine.
Leading figures in the spheres of Education and Science, Culture, Sports, and Business spoke to the participants and presented awards from the Fund of the President of Ukraine: Olympic Champion Olga KHARLAN, Director General of the Ivan Franko Theater Yevhen NYSCHUK, author and host of the TV programme “The World Inside Out” Dmytro KOMAROV, Head of the National Antarctic Science Center of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Yevhen DYKYI, Professor of the Department of Ukrainian Philosophy and Culture of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Nataliya KRYVDA, Ukrainian historians Oleksandr ALFYOROV and Vladlen MARAYEV, co-author of the YouTube channel “History Without Myths”, and entrepreneur, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of “Ajax Systems” Oleksandr KONOTOPSKYY.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr ZELENSKYY joined the Forum to communicate directly with the talented youth. He shared his vision for Ukraine’s future, emphasising the crucial role of youth in the country recovery. He also presented 59 the President’s Awards for Young Scientists, recognising their outstanding achievements and reaffirming the importance of their contributions to Ukraine’s future.
The Forum showcased that the energy, ambition, and ideas of the youth are essential for Ukraine’s recovery and for shaping a successful future as a country of opportunities and own talents. The Forum will become an annual tradition, not only supporting talented youth but also motivating them to realise their potential in Ukraine.