From June 18th to 24th, two students from the Faculty of Mathematics and IT, Denis Kitarov and Andrey Sheverinov, participated in the All-Russian Youth Forum "SHUM" in Kaliningrad. The students went through a preliminary selection process, with only 11 people per place. Out of 5635 participants 550 people were selected, among whom were only 21 participants from Belarus.

The forum consisted of several campuses or sreas. Andrey Sheverinov participated in the "Design" area, while Denis Kitarov took part in the "Marketing" area.

Denis Kitarov: I was a part of the international marketing team, which consisted of 20 people, with a 50-50 representation of Russia and Belarus. This was not by chance because we were working on a case related to the Union State. It was round-the-clock work, and we slept for only 3-4 hours. During breaks between the masterclasses, the Baltic Sea, and other forum activities, we developed the marketing strategy for the project. With enthusiasm, dividing tasks among ourselves, supporting each other, and coming together as a cohesive team - we did it! As a result, our case was approved by the client and is now in development.

During my time in Kaliningrad, I experienced and gained a lot: acquaintances, knowledge, meanings, discoveries, fatigue, disappointments, inspiration, strength, weakness, fear, and courage... Working on the campus, and at the forum in general, became a point of emotional reset for me.

Andrey Sheverinov: Visiting the youth forum SHUM, I was amazed by the energy and inspiration that envelop every participant. The forum is a place where people from different countries and regions can primarily communicate, share their ideas, and find new opportunities for personal and professional growth. That's how it was for me. I gained a lot of new knowledge and skills, met interesting people, explored the sights of Kaliningrad, but most importantly, I brought back home that piece of energy that the SHUM forum and all its participants gave me.

At the forum, we not only rested and acquired knowledge but also worked. We worked on real projects for private and government clients. I had the opportunity to participate in the Design project to promote the Union State. Our goal was to create a product (a landing page) that could capture the attention of young people and tell them about the Union State. And we succeeded! The project was accepted, and our team is waiting for the landing page to be published on the website. The forum is an excellent experience that I wouldn't mind repeating.