Today, September 1st, the stadium of the Belarusian National Technical University once again filled with thousands of voices, smiles, and festive energy. Faculties lined up with their emblems, and the air was filled with that unique mixture of excitement and anticipation that cannot be mistaken for anything else. For thousands of recent applicants, this day is not just the beginning of their studies, but the first day of a completely new life.
The festive morning began with a vibrant prologue: the "Vlyublennaya Dusha" vocal and pop studio and a large-scale flag show with faculty flags set the tone for the entire event. Then, hosts Dmitry Yurgevich and Alexandra Smal took the stage: after welcoming the new generation of BNTU students, they announced the guests of honor for the celebration.
The ceremony was attended by Elena Morgunova, Chairperson of the State Standardization Committee of the Republic of Belarus; Archpriest Nikolai Korzhich, Rector of the Church of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in Minsk; and representatives of foreign delegations from partner universities. BNTU Rector Sergei Kharitonchik, department staff, and university students also participated in the celebration.
The official ceremony began with cadets from the Military-Technical Faculty, who ceremoniously carried the National Flag of the Republic of Belarus and the BNTU Banner. Once the banners took their places on stage, the university's rector delivered the traditionally important remarks. Sergei Kharitonchik congratulated those present on the start of the new academic year:
"Dear first-year students, I am sincerely pleased to congratulate you on your admission to the Belarusian National Technical University and congratulate you on Knowledge Day. I am very glad that you have chosen our university." Today, the engineering profession is experiencing a new birth, inspiration, and new horizons. Over the course of our history, we have graduated nearly a quarter of a million specialists, who continue to develop not only our country but also other regions worldwide. On this day, I wish you all true success in your studies. Please, dear students, learn from your teachers who are right there with you. They will show you many technologies and techniques to become true specialists and find your path in life. Today is a very joyful day, because we are opening a new chapter in our lives. Just today, the renovated building for the architecture and construction departments, located on Borisovsky Trakt, will open its doors. This year, we have already opened a new building for the Faculty of Energy. We have completed construction of a medical equipment manufacturing plant. Behind you is a dormitory, currently undergoing renovation, which will also soon open its doors to you. Therefore, I wish you sincere success. I wish you to learn, put in the necessary effort, and do everything to become true specialists. We will help. The country and the President of the Republic of Belarus are doing everything possible for our youth, so that you grow up to be true people and patriots of our country.
Following the rector's speech, the National Anthem of the Republic of Belarus was played, and the assembly was officially declared open. It continued with speeches by distinguished guests. Elena Morgunova addressed the students with a welcoming speech and best wishes:
"Good afternoon, dear first-year students, dear distinguished guests, and university faculty. From the bottom of my heart, sincerely, on behalf of the State Standardization Committee of the Republic of Belarus and myself personally, I congratulate you on the beginning of the new academic year and on Knowledge Day! I am sure that the most gifted, motivated, and talented students who have chosen engineering are present here today. In just a few minutes, we will sign an agreement between the Standardization Committee of the Republic of Belarus and the university on a practice-oriented approach to education. This is not just a strategic document; it is another step in the development and implementation of innovations in the educational process." Dear first-year students, great hopes are pinned on you. You are truly the elite of our society. You have chosen engineering, one of the most promising areas for the country's economic development. Today, digital technologies are being implemented, artificial intelligence is entering our lives, and it is you who will be responsible for the further implementation of all the plans for the accelerated development of our country's economy. Dear teachers, you are training not just professionals, you are training patriots of our country, who will continue to lead the development of our Belarus. I wish you all peace, goodness, the fulfillment of all your plans, confidence in the future, health, understanding, and prosperity.
On this day, special attention is paid not only to the professional but also the spiritual development of young people. Nikolai Korzhich reminded first-year students of the importance of moral guidelines and enduring values:
"Dear Sergei Vasilyevich, dear first-year students, this entire distinguished congregation, I cordially greet you and congratulate you on Knowledge Day, the beginning of a new academic year. Of course, for first-year students, this is a special stage, a new life, new knowledge, new circumstances. You are embarking on an independent path, and you will always face a certain choice. St. Paul the Apostle says that knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. This suggests that knowledge alone can be used in ways that can be negative. But knowledge combined with love truly teaches. A person goes through a certain life path and always faces a choice between good and evil. I want to wish everyone, and especially first-year students, that you always choose good." Because, as the renowned scientist Albert Einstein said, "Science without faith is lame, and faith without science is blind." Therefore, always maintain this balance in your life. Make room in your hearts for God, goodness, and love. We must be happy because our entire life should move us toward happiness. And a person can only be truly happy with their Creator, with God. I wish everyone peace, goodness, prosperity, continued happiness, and every success in your studies, so that the Lord may truly bless your life's journey and direct your labors and efforts toward the greater good.
At the end of his speech, Archpriest Nikolai Korzhich presented BNTU Rector Sergei Kharitonchik with a commemorative gift – the book "Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos," as well as a publication dedicated to the frescoes of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the capital. These unique items will be added to the exhibition of the renovated university history museum. The priest also emphasized the church's long-standing and fruitful relationship with BNTU, noting that many Polytechnic graduates are now making significant contributions to the construction and development of Orthodox church complexes across the country.
A special moment of the celebration was the introduction of those who will guide first-year students to professional heights in the coming years – the deans of BNTU's 19 faculties. Gennady Brovka, Dean of the Faculty of Management Technologies and Humanitarian Studies, addressed the students with a farewell address. He reminded them that student life is a crucial stage in their maturation and professional development, and encouraged them to eagerly absorb knowledge, be true patriots of their alma mater and their home country, and boldly bring something new to the life of the university.
Since 2026 has been declared the Year of the Belarusian Woman in our country, the speech by Ksenia Yakushenko, Vice-Rector for Research and Chair of the Belarusian Union of Women's Primary Organization at BNTU, was also symbolic. She emphasized the importance of women's contributions to high-tech projects:
Dear first-year students, dear colleagues! The world-renowned scientist Marie Skłodowska-Curie once said, "Science is great beauty." In their laboratory, a scientist is not only an engineer and technician; they are also a child playing with natural and technological phenomena, admiring what they create. We must carry this sense of admiration into our world. You, in terms of age and worldview, are closest to this feeling. Carry this sense of admiration and love for learning, your parents, and your homeland throughout your life. Of course, there will be difficulties along the way. The people who guided you along this path may not be there when you need them. But I, as the Chair of the Belarusian Union of Women, promise that we will help you with these difficulties. We, as mothers, can give you everything you need at the university: warmth and kindness. Let's work together to create this feeling of love for science, learning, and the Motherland. It's no wonder the anthem of the Belarusian Union of Women contains such beautiful words: "We are together, we are friendly, we are united." We are friendly and united in our Belarus. Dear colleagues, let us be united in this feeling of admiration and support for our first-year students. Have a wonderful academic year, and may you rejoice and be happy that you have entered such a wonderful university! We wish you good health and admiration for your parents, who gave you the opportunity to be with us today. Happy holiday!
An important part of the celebration was the patriotic section, reminding us of the sacred duty of preserving historical memory. During the Great Patriotic War, the university lost more than 700 faculty, staff, and students who gave their lives for the freedom of the Motherland. As a sign of deep respect for their immortal feat, the stadium, filled with thousands, observed a minute of silence.
To the heartfelt performance of "Two Fields" by the folk song ensemble "Kakhanachka," cadets and faculty representatives solemnly made their way to the memorial stele on the university campus for a flower-laying ceremony. Continuing the theme of a peaceful and creative Belarus, the vibrant number "DNA Code" performed by the vocal and pop studio "Vlyublennaya Dusha" (Loving Soul) continued.
Student life at BNTU is not only about lectures but also about limitless opportunities for development. A large parade of university youth organizations unfolded in front of the first-year students, clearly demonstrating the opportunities available to them at the university. Sports teams, activists of the BRSM Youth Union (BRSM), the student council, the primary student trade union, and the Department of Cultural Affairs presented their achievements.
BNTU's greatest strength has always been and remains the unbreakable bond between generations: experience and traditions are passed down from hand to hand. A speech by Alexander Malashko, a graduate of the Faculty of Mining and Environmental Engineering, symbolized this continuity. Recalling his journey at BNTU, he encouraged first-year students to maximize the university's opportunities for comprehensive self-realization and wished them to never give up, to move forward, and to tirelessly pursue new knowledge.
Following BNTU tradition, the culmination of the celebration was the turning of the symbolic timer for the academic year. Joining Alexander Malashko, first-year students Alexandra Murashkina and Fyodor Vanzonok took the stage and, to the accompaniment of a countdown from the entire stadium, pressed the symbolic start button. A musical gift for those present was a performance by Belarusian pop artist, songwriter, and BNTU graduate Ilya Martvyn.
The final chord of the ceremony was the song "Time of New Victories" performed by soloists from the "Vlyublennaya Dusha" vocal and pop studio. Amid celebratory bursts of confetti, a large-scale flash mob featuring all the performers created a truly festive atmosphere of student unity.
The academic year has officially opened. We wish all BNTU students successful studies, new knowledge, and engineering discoveries!
