2004 – 9th Youth Bios Olympiad, St. Petersburg, Russia
YOUNG PEOPLE AND BIOS |
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St. Petersburg, Russia
Bios belongs to the young, and young people from around Russia and other Eastern European countries participated with great enthusiasm in the 9th Annual Youth Bios Olympiad, held in St. Petersburg, September 22-25. This timely initiative was organised by B.I.O., in collaboration with the Ecological Club for Post-Graduates, Students and Schoolchildren of the Baltic/Ladoga Region, and the city and regional authorities of St. Petersburg. Thanks to the unwavering efforts of Professor Alexander Shishkin, Head of the Ecological Standardisation Laboratory at the St. Petersburg State Technological University for Plant Polymers, the Fifth Annual Youth Bios Olympiad enjoyed great
success. Participants ranging from grade-school children to university studentspresented a multitude of creative projects on the environment (posters, research papers, art projects). Some of the most popular topics were soil and water protection, ecology, recycling technology, and the economics of environmental conservation. Every year, more than 100 projects are submitted at the Youth Bios Olympiad, and awards are given based on creativity, originality and presentation. For many school children, participation in the Youth Bios Olympiads counts towards their admission to university or other tertiary education institutions.
Some of the titles of this year’s projects included:
The Youth Bios Olympiads, launched by B.I.O. in 1996, give children and young adults the opportunity to develop their skills and creative thinking in relation to the bio-environment. They are challenged to identify and discuss environmental problems, and to propose solutions based on education and training. They also learn about the role and limitations of international environmental organisations and institutions, and study the development of environmental awareness in society. Within the framework of the Youth Bios Olympiads, participants study environmental concerns, as well as guidelines and criteria for the bio-assessment and bio-control of production processes, cultural and social development and education. Participants also focus on environmental research, as well as on the exchange of environmental information and know-how. The Youth Bios Olympiads also promote bio-culture and bio-athletics. The four-day schedule of events of the 9th Youth Bios Olympiad was full of exciting and constructive activities, including a scientific youth conference on Biopolitics and the bio-environment themed “Youth and Democracy.” The schedule also included a poster contest, athletic competitions, visits to St. Petersburg’s cultural sites, concerts and theatrical performances. The Bios Olympiad concluded with an awards ceremony for excellence in:
In addition to the Youth Bios Olympiads, Bios Schools also take place annually in St. Petersburg. |