On December 27, 2013 the awarding ceremony of the contest of the works of students, candidates for a master’s degree, post-graduate students “Refugees and Stateless Persons in a Contemporary World: Problems and Ways of Solution” took place. The contest was conducted in September—November 2013 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and International Non-governmental Association for Scientific Research, Information and Educational Programmes “Evolutio”.
Besides the winners themselves Mr Victor Shadurski, Head of the Observation Board of the INA “Evolutio”, Mr Jean Yves Bouchardy, UNHCR Representative in the Republic of Belarus, and members of jure, in particular Mr Timofey Solodkov, Associate Protection Officer of the UNCHR Office in Belarus, Mr Andrey Selivanov, Executive Director of the INA “Evolutio”, and Mr Vitaliy Voronovich, Associate Professor of the Military academy of the Republic of Belarus, participated in the awarding ceremony.
Victor Shadurski, Head of the Observation Board of the INA “Evolutio” welcomed the participants and thanked them for the participation in the contest. He recalled that the contest is conducted from 2001 and about 40—60 students, candidates for master’s degree and post-graduate students participate in the competition annually. Many of the participants work in the system of State Border Committee, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, bar association, prosecutor’s office, etc. The contest helps to increase the number of students who are somehow involved in the fates of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless people. V. Shadurski drew attention to the fact that some young people have already participated in the previous contests, and at the same time expressed the hope that young people will continue to develop the themes of their works and will take part in the following contests.
Andrey Selivanov, Executive Director of the INA “Evolutio”, told that if during the first years of the competition (since 2001) the works were marked as simple ones, now the level of work rose and leveled off. He noted the works that won the first prize, they were strong and had the gap by points from works which took the second and the third prizes, and they were almost the same level, a little better than others. A. Selivanov pointed out that this year a lot of winners were from the regions, and it is very pleasant fact because active work is conducted with refugees and asylum seekers in Gomel and Vitebsk.
Vitaliy Voronovich said that works had less dimensionality and generality, there were more concrete, works became closer to life, had a more applied nature, i.e. there is an opportunity to apply them in work. He stressed that in this category there are no trifles, and if someone will work in this area, it will be necessary take responsibility for the work and for those whom your work will touch directly.
Timofey Solodkov joined the previous speakers and added that there were works that could be used in the practical area, he noted the interest of the participants to the concrete themes and topics that were not addressed earlier, narrow and specific. He marked the work «The concept of “the third safe country” in refugee law». T. Solodkov congratulated the winners and thanked the participants for their perseverance and dedication, as well as for the fact that many have tried not only to win, but also to undertake a study on the declared topic.
At the end of the event winners of the contest thanked the organizers of the contest and the jury, and expressed their interest in participating in the following contests of scientific works on the issues of refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons.