The Second National Forum of Talented Youth brought together over 600 participants from across Ukraine, ranging from winners of international competitions to technical university students who are already working on applied engineering tasks. Among the participants of the large-scale event was Anastasiia Udovytska, a student of Metinvest Polytechnic. Talented young people gathered together to hear an important message: Ukraine needs their knowledge, ambition, and solutions here and now.
The Second National Forum of Talented Youth, initiated by the Foundation of the President of Ukraine for the Support of Education, Science and Sport, has for the second consecutive year united talented young people from all over Ukraine. During the event, the organisers highlighted that it is the youth who today provides the energy and motivation to fight for Ukraine. The forum welcomed winners of international and all-Ukrainian competitions, prize-winners of WRO 2025 robotics competition, graduates with the highest NMT results, and participants in the 2025 Youth Olympic Games — a generation that is already shaping the country's intellectual and professional competitiveness.
Special attention was paid to the issue of preserving human capital. How can conditions be created in which talented students, young scientists, and athletes see their future in Ukraine? The answer was clear: through education, practical opportunities, support and trust.
Anastasiia UDOVYTSKA, a student of Metinvest Polytechnic, shared her impressions:
"For me, participation in the National Forum of Talented Youth is a clear indication that the voice of young people in Ukraine truly matters. We had a unique opportunity to ask questions to the President of Ukraine and mentors from various fields, including science, education, sports, and technology, and to receive honest and meaningful answers. Such a format shows that young people's opinions are taken into account and can influence the country's future.
This approach is also familiar to me from my studies at Metinvest Polytechnic. Here, students are heard and encouraged to take initiative, develop leadership skills, and take responsibility for their own decisions. That is why participation in similar forums does not look detached from reality; it is a logical continuation of the educational culture in which we study."
An emotional highlight of the forum was a live online connection with the head of the Ukrainian expedition at the Akademik Vernadskyi Antarctic Station. An online tour from Antarctica and greetings from penguins became a surprise for the participants, while also serving as a symbolic reminder that Ukrainian science is present even at the other end of the planet. Oleksandr Usyk and Gregor Rozumovskyi, a direct descendant of Kyrylo Rozumovskyi, addressed participants via video. Their words focused on perseverance, responsibility, and strength of character – qualities that are equally important in sport, science, and engineering.
The forum became a venue where young people spoke with state authorities as equals about the challenges of war, the development of promising industries, modern scientific solutions, and the role of young specialists in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine. It was not a discussion about a distant future; it was a conversation about actions shaping it today.
For students of Metinvest Polytechnic, participation in such an event confirms that practice-oriented technical education focused on science and the real needs of the country forms part of a nationwide strategy for developing human capital.
