Dear colleagues! Dear friends!
The year 2024 is coming to an end. In the life of Belarusian science, it was bright, eventful and intense. It allowed us to move forward in all directions, solve important and sometimes ambitious tasks, and obtain scientific results of outstanding importance.
This year we celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders. Scientists of the NAS of Belarus held a series of events dedicated to this significant date. The largest international forum was ‘Belarus during the Great Patriotic War: History and Modernity (on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus)’, dedicated to the anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi occupation. This scientific conference has concentrated the efforts of many scientific organizations and educational institutions to preserve the objective memory of the events related to the anniversary, and has become an important patriotic project.
The flight of the first Belarusian female cosmonaut, Hero of Belarus Maryna Vasiliewskaja, and her work on the ISS became a landmark event in the life of the country. It was the NAS of Belarus that carried out the project – it organized, conducted the selection and support of candidates for this flight. On the ISS, Maryna Vasiliewskaja carried out a scientific program developed by the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus jointly with Roscosmos and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Belarusian science is a leading productive force, and the National Academy of Sciences has become a brand and an integral attribute of the country. No significant event is complete without the participation of scientists. Therefore, it is quite natural that society is constantly interested in the state of domestic science. The President of the Republic of Belarus and the country's leadership pay special attention to our work. And this is confirmed by a number of meetings that took place with the participation of academic scientists. All this imposes a special responsibility.
In 2024, scientists at the Academy of Sciences were able to generate bright ideas and proposals, implement highly efficient developments, establish partnerships, and develop high-tech industries. In the past year, new laboratories, centres, and production facilities were opened. Among them are the Centre for Political Science at the Institute of Sociology of the NAS of Belarus and the design centre for innovative developments, established at the Physico-Technical Institute within the framework of Akademtechnograd. An electronic version of the Belarusian Encyclopaedia has been created. Our brand events were successfully held – the Science Festival and the large-scale exhibition of the 3rd Forum of the IT Academy ‘Artificial Intelligence in Belarus’.
We tried to make our lives better: we improved our work in all areas – from space to agriculture and Antarctica, microelectronics, electric vehicles and drones. Scientists have published landmark books and conducted large-scale events to perpetuate historical memory. And this is far from a complete list of everything that has been done in a year. Representatives of the NAS of Belarus tried to work with increased efficiency. After all, it was 2024 that was declared the Year of Quality by the Head of State.
During these holidays, I thank my fellow scientists, through whose efforts our country continues to confidently follow the creative path. Thank you to everyone who is involved in Belarusian science and worked to achieve our common goals!
Dear friends!
On behalf of the Presidium of the NAS of Belarus and on my own behalf, I cordially congratulate you on the New Year, 2025, and the bright feast of the Nativity of Christ. I sincerely wish you all good health, inexhaustible ideas and success in all your endeavours!
Give each other joy, kindness and love!
May our native Belarus grow stronger and prosper!
Happy New Year to you, dear friends!
Kind regards,
Uladzimir GUSAKOW,
Chairman of the Presidium
of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus,
Academician