Belarusian Republican Youth Union

The Belarusian Republican Youth Union is a youth organization in Belarus. Its goals are to promote patriotism and to instill moral values into the youth of Belarus, using activities such as camping, sporting events and visiting memorials. The BRSM is the largest youth group in Belarus and is supported by the Belarusian government.

The BRSM was created on 6 September 2002, after the merger of two Belarusian youth organizations, the Belarusian Youth Union and the Belarusian Patriotic Youth Union.

The BRSM national headquarters is located in Minsk, the national capital of Belarus. Each voblast of Belarus—Minsk, Brest, Vitsebsk, Homiel, Grodno and Mogilev—has its own branches of the BRSM. The BRSM has estimated that it has 6803 branches located inside Belarus.

The national leadership of the BRSM is controlled by the central committee, which is headed by the first secretary of the central committee.The current first secretary is Leonid Kovalev

The BRSM has two official symbols: an emblem and a flag. The emblem, which is based on the Komsomol badge and modeled on the Belarusian national flag, has a red bar bearing the initials of the BRSM, written in gold in Cyrillic, over a green bar bearing a golden olive branch.The flag of the BRSM has the same elements as the emblem, but the reverse of the flag bears the organization's full name in gold (in Russian) in the red section, with the green section unemblazoned.

In order to join the BRSM, the applicant must be between the ages of 14 and 31 and must send a photo of him or herself. If the applicant is between the ages of 14 and 16 written permission from a parent or legal guardian must be granted. A person must also pay a one-time fee of 1,400 Belarusian rubles and a mid-year fee to continue membership in the BRSM.

Most of the BRSM's activities are similar to those that were performed by the Soviet Komsomol. The main activities of the BRSM involve the promotion of Belarusian patriotism. This is accomplished by participating in wreath-laying ceremonies at various memorials around the country. BRSM members also pass out flowers to veterans of the Great Patriotic War (World War II) to honor their service during the national holiday Den Pobedy (Day of Victory). Both the memorial visits and the flowers for the veterans give BRSM members an idea of what sacrifices their ancestors made. During other national holidays, the BRSM passes out a ribbon that resembles the national flag of Belarus, to be worn on a shirt or jacket. This program, along with other events, is part of its "For Belarus!" (Belarussian: За Беларусь!) campaign.^[12]

The BRSM participates in outdoor activities and sports, including football, running, swimming and hockey. Some of these athletic events involve different groups from inside Belarus or from neighboring countries, such as Russia, Ukraine or Latvia. BRSM members also participate in competitions amongst themselves or with other foreign groups that are similar to the BRSM.

The main activities of the BRSM involve the promotion of Belarusian patriotism. This is accomplished by participating in wreath-laying ceremonies at various memorials around the country. BRSM members also pass out flowers to veterans of the Geat Patriotic War to honour their service during the national holiday (Day of Victory). The brsm participates in outdoor activities and sports, including football, running, swimming and hockey. Some of these athletic events involve different groups from inside Belarus or from neighbouring countries, such as Russia, Ukraine or Latvia. BRSM organizes student construction brigades, a practice also originated in the Soviet Union.

Youth Organizations in Belarus

The most numerous youth organization is the Belarussian Patriotic Union of Youth

The main objectives of the organization are as follows:

- to express, defend and realize the rights and legal interests of its members

- to form the world outlook, based on moral and spiritual, as well as Christian values

- to foster patriotism as the main spiritual and social value

- to express devotion to the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, to the country, its people and its state symbols

- to give assistance to every member of the organization in his spiritual, intellectual and physical development and in realization of his abilities and creative potential

- to take part in preparation of young people for the defense of their Motherland

The Belarussian Patriotic Union of Youth and its members accomplish their goals and objectives in the following activities

- they participate in formation of youth policy and put it into practice

- they support the initiatives of the youth, directed at self-perfection and all-round development of their individual abilities

- they help young people to become integrated members of society

- they elaborate and accomplish different educational, social and other youth programmers which do not contradict the present legislation of the republic of Belarus

- they render assistance in finding employment

- they promote international youth cooperation

- they attract the attention of the mass media and the bodies of state power to the problems and initiatives of the youth

- they organize conferences, meetings, lectures, exhibitions, concerts for the young people