Kofi Annan opened the first Ukrainian intellectual forum for youth «Tomorrow: the World, Ukraine, and Me»

Today, May 16 2008, the first Ukrainian intellectual forum for youth «Zavtra (Tomorrow): the World, Ukraine, and Me» was opened at 11:00, in Ukraine's House. The forum is held within the framework of ZAVTRA.UA scholarship program, a nationwide project of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation for supporting the gifted youth. Among the forum participants are winners of the second competition for the scholarship of 2007,  both Ukrainian and international experts in economics, political science, sociology, including Anatoliy Zlenko, former Foreign Affair Minister, Valeriy Heets (Academician of the NAS of Ukraine, Director of the Institute for Economics and Forecasting), Alexander Paskhaver (President of the Center for Economic Development, Ph.D. in Economics), Tatiana Yefimenko (Deputy Minister of Finance, 2006-2007), Ella Libanova (Director of the Institute for Demography and Social Research of the NAS of Ukraine), and others. About 300 scholarship holders from 17 regions of Ukraine have been engaged in the forum program.

The Forum is targeted towards providing assistance to Ukraine's youth, including the holders of ZAVTRA.UA scholarship:

• To be ready for the challenges the young people will face in their professional career in the field of science, business, social sphere, and in public service;
• To engage future leaders in elaborating the scenarios of Ukraine's development and to bring up them to be socially and personally  responsible for the country;
• To answer the question: how can the current generation of students contribute into their personal development and the development of the country in order to maximize efficiency of integration in the global future?
• To generate ideas and concepts for further elaboration and discussion in mass media, scientific, government, and business societies.

Viktor Pinchuk, the founder of the Scholarship Program, was the first speaker to the Forum participants: "Seventeen years ago a new country, Ukraine, was born. You have a unique chance to contribute in its development. Today, Ukraine wants builders, designers, architects, and constructors. These vacancies are yours. Only new generation of dreamers who are aspiring after building a completely new country can do that. Here we will talk about your place, your role and your contribution. Please, do not waste your chance".

The seventh UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan (1997-2006), the guest of honor at the Forum, gave a lecture on today's global challenges for youth in Ukraine and throughout the world and answered the questions of ZAVTRA.UA scholarship holders. He said, he has heard a lot about the program and knew that the participants represent different fields. "This is a good opportunity to gather in Kyiv to get to know each other and to establish friendly relations forever. You live in the constantly changing global world where all things and events are interconnected. You, the future leaders, cannot have a local thinking. You should have a comprehensive idea of what takes place throughout the world, inasmuch as any event may affect you and any your deeds can influence the world developments. I speak to you as to the future leaders. What is tomorrow? Tomorrow starts today. And today, you should start to work... Nobody is born an exemplary citizen or democrat. It's a result of education, development and communication.

When you are young you are full of optimism and, may be, slightly naïve. But the youth is always associated with hope. So, please, follow you inner compass and make right decisions. Do not focus on negative aspects, always be frank and overt."

From 11:00 till 17:30, within the framework of three consecutive sessions the moderated discussions on the following topics will be held:

The World:
- Principal trends of the global civilization development and scientific and technical progress;
- Social and professional effects of global trends on advanced economies and on developing countries.

Ukraine:
- Possible ways of Ukraine's development and necessary resources (education, geographical location, natural resources, etc.).
- Forecast of the national labor market development. Presentation of survey Principal trends of the labor market development: the most popular professions, changes in requirements for young specialists and manifestation of the global trends in Ukraine.

Me:
- Strategy of personal development.