BELARUS STATE
ECONOMIC UNIVERSITY

11.08.2023

Volunteers of BSEU at the II Games of the CIS countries

Since August 4, the II Games of the CIS countries have been held in Belarus. More than 30 students of the Belarusian State Economic University are involved as volunteers at the sports grounds of the city. Our guys supervise beach football, rhythmic gymnastics and 3x3 basketball. Their duties include: meetings of international delegations, escorting them to their places of residence, assistance in holding competitions, assisting athletes at facilities and working with spectators. BSEU students also act as guides when foreign guests need help getting their bearings in Minsk. For volunteers, this experience is not only an opportunity to get to know the culture of other countries, but also a chance to become part of a significant multi-sport forum.

The head of the BSEU Volunteer Center Pavel Petrovich SAVRITSKY has been helping students to join important city, republican and international events for several years now. This time, in order to become volunteers for the II Games of the CIS countries, students had to pass a selection process. «More than 50 people from all faculties of the Belarusian State Economic University filled out the questionnaires of the Republican Volunteer Center. The main criteria were knowledge of at least one foreign language and just a HUGE desire to become a volunteer of this sporting event,» says Pavel Petrovich.

The word volunteer comes from the French «volontaire», which in turn comes from the Latin «voluntarius». Literally translated, this means «volunteer», «wishing». A volunteer is a person who always has time for good deeds and deeds for the well-being of other people. For some it is a need of the soul, for others it is a thirst for communication, others become volunteers because of the desire to always be at the center of public life. Volunteering is always a new experience and practice. We decided to find out from BSEU students what volunteering gives them and how this experience affects their lives.

Uliana SHENDIK, FIER, 3rd year student:

«I learned about the Games through the dean's office and without hesitation decided that I would be a volunteer for this event. I have always wanted to learn how volunteers work, to try on their uniforms. And you know? I liked it all very much! Now I have something to tell my classmates! Most of all I liked to communicate with athletes and other volunteers. The guys remained friendly even in stressful situations. Knowing English helped a lot.»

Ekaterina VOSTRIKOVA, FIC, 2nd year student:

«I learned about the recruitment of volunteers from the headman back in February. I immediately wanted to participate, because I like to become a part of large-scale events, I love new acquaintances and activities. The atmosphere of the Games is very engaging! I was a beach soccer volunteer. It's embarrassing to say, but I've never been interested in them before. Now I enjoy watching the game. I also liked helping the audience. Spectators and athletes are charged to the maximum: people support the athletes, and the athletes give 100% of themselves to the game.»

Egor BUKATIN, FCTI, 2nd year student:

«I learned about the II Games of the CIS countries thanks to my native university. I immediately realized that I wanted to try myself in something new and filled out the questionnaire. The work of a volunteer requires responsibility, attentiveness and speed of reaction. I have all these qualities. This is a great opportunity to gain new experience in such a global event. A lot of positive emotions, new acquaintances and a sea of support - I met all this at the II Games of the CIS countries. I discovered a new sport, namely beach soccer. I am proud of our country, because they showed an excellent result at the Games. The event gave me the opportunity to try my hand at working with foreigners. Without knowing English, it would be difficult. The work with the delegation from Egypt caused me the most emotions. I met them at the airport, helped them check in and told them about the culture of Belarus. The Egyptian team was very friendly, welcoming and open. The Egyptian delegation listened with interest and in return shared their traditions and their culture. With many of the players, we will stay in touch on social networks even after their departure!»

Angelina GARUS, FDE, 2nd year student:

«I learned about the II Games of the CIS countries from our student council. Then I immediately decided that I wanted to be a volunteer, because this is a great opportunity to become a part of such a grand event and spend the summer in an interesting and useful way. I liked being a volunteer, because it's a great teamwork experience, language practice and communication with people. Of course, there were some difficulties, but thanks to the well-coordinated work of all the volunteers, all problems were quickly resolved. Volunteering at the II Games of the CIS countries will be remembered for a long time. Every day, every moment was unforgettable. During this time, I met guys from other universities, saw world-class athletes, and was able to overcome the language barrier. Today I can say with confidence that if events of this magnitude are still held in our country, then I will again gladly become a volunteer.»

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