Press releases

SCO Allée of Friendship planted in Minsk

MINSK, 17 June (BelTA) - Within the framework of the tenth SCO Education Ministers meeting, Allée of Friendship was planted on the grounds of the Minsk Student Village, with the ceremonial event timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the organization, BelTA has learned.

The Student Village serves as a space of living diplomacy, where students from different countries daily see the real result of international accord.

“A quarter of a century is a very short period by historical standards, but even over this relatively brief time, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has accomplished a great deal in humanitarian cooperation and educational development. A vivid example of this is the 20-year history of the SCO University. The tenth SCO Education Ministers meeting adopted landmark documents including an updated concept for the development of the SCO University, its operational technological regulations and the admission of new universities into the large SCO family. Today, there are nearly 150 such universities,” Belarusian Education Minister Andrei Ivanets said as he welcomed the participants of the event.

He noted that the location for the memorial allée was chosen for a reason. “The Student Village brings together more than 10,000 students, more than half of whom are international students from over 110 countries. We are deeply grateful to all countries that entrust us with the most precious thing they have, their youth, to shape professionals and highly qualified specialists who will return to their homelands and contribute to the development of our friendly nations,” the minister stated.

Deputy Secretary-General of the SCO Sohail Khan emphasized that planting trees symbolizes unity and family. “Like these trees, may new generations also grow in the same spirit, in friendship, as one family. So that neither political nor any other problems arise between them. The Belarusian atmosphere is just right for this,” he stressed and wished the Belarusian people a great future, noting that Belarus is a very important member of the SCO.Representatives of Belarus, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan took part in the planting of the memorial allée. The heads of delegations, together with students, planted trees and ceremonially unveiled a commemorative marker.