The Belarusian-Russian University (BRU) serves as the main venue for the media forum. The BRU Rector Mikhail Lustenkov noted that this year the event has brought together over 100 young, talented, and creative participants. Over the next few days, they will engage with speakers and experts, work in creative teams, and develop and present their own projects.
«Our university is Belarusian-Russian, so our mission is unification and integration,» Mikhail Lustenkov said. «The issue of shaping a relevant media policy is highly pressing today. Every university develops its own policy, and each has bright, active young people working in media. The format of this forum, bringing these students together, has proven its effectiveness over the years.»
The Belarusian-Russian University also operates its own media center. Despite the university’s technical focus, students actively participate in its work. «And they want to grow. That is why it is crucial to set a vector and understand what is most relevant and in demand today, what presentation formats exist, and how they are evolving. Looking back at last year’s forum, the focus was on countering falsifications. Today, we see how much has changed in just a year — artificial intelligence is already being actively integrated into media work. I believe this will also be a major topic of discussion during the forum,» the BRU rector noted.
The 2026 forum is dedicated to the dialogue of cultures. «It is precisely through culture that we can find new common ground and build communication. Culture is our genetic code. Art, music, literature, and traditions are what unite us. The theme of victory in the Great Patriotic War will also run as a common thread through the discussions. Every year, it resonates deeply with the youth,» Mikhail Lustenkov said.
For the first time this year, representatives from Vologda State University joined the media forum as participants.
«I hope that today we will not only hold this forum together but also establish connections for future joint projects,» the university’s Acting Rector Denis Dvornikov said. «We are very interested in this; our university is actively developing and becoming a venue for a wide variety of events, focusing on both technical development and the humanities. Being at the frontier of current topics, there will always be a place here for Russian-Belarusian relations at the university level. It is important to note that universities act as channels for people-to-people diplomacy — an environment that allows us to make our international projects stronger and more substantial.»
The media forum at BRU will allow the students to discover new approaches to student media, find fresh formats and presentation methods, and identify the most relevant and pressing topics.
Among the media forum participants is Yuliana Surba, a third-year student at the Belarusian State University of Food and Chemical Technologies. «This forum is highly interesting in terms of its organization and format. It provides an opportunity to meet students from other Belarusian universities and Russian higher education institutions. On top of that, various experts and professionals in their fields are involved here. Working in teams will give us a chance to establish new connections, get to know each other, and work together — it is all about team spirit. It is always wonderful to meet new people,» she said. «And it is great that we have the opportunity to communicate with peers from other universities and even other countries. Through this communication, we realize that we are very much alike, despite the distances and kilometers between us. The forum demonstrates once again just how many common interests we share.»
The media forum in Mogilev will run for three days. During the forum, the participants will not only learn professional insights but will also get acquainted with the history and cultural heritage of Mogilev and Mogilev Oblast.
