«For the family to regain its cohesion and be strong and prosperous, more attention should be paid to young people. It is the future generations who will have to respond to old and new threats to our unity,» the head of state said. «Young people must not simply go with the flow, but must serve as the engines of integration. They need to develop and bring to life socially significant projects that would be in demand across the Commonwealth.» 

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that three Belarusian cities, Minsk, Molodechno and Lida, will serve as the CIS capitals of youth, culture and tourism in the coming year, providing an international platform for self-realization, creativity and interaction among the new generations.

«What do we expect from this? That the younger generation will grow up honoring its roots and be ready to push back against foreign ideologies that threaten the foundations of our societies. That they will build genuine human connections and help our peoples understand each other better,» the president said.