Minsk is becoming the centre of the regional bioethical network in the CIS under the auspices of the UNESCO.

A seminar-training for experts in bioethics from the CIS member states and the UNESCO headquarters will be held in the Belarusian capital on November 17-21, 2008, BelTA learnt in the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.

Belarus has started to carry out projects in the field of bioethics since 2005. In June 2006, the National Committee on Bioethics was set up. The committee introduces legislative initiatives on human rights protection in the field of biomedicine, coordinates the work of local committees, provides bioethical education.

At present, Minsk is a coordination and resource centre on developing the bioethical training in the CIS.

Thus, the international research conference Sakharov’s Readings 2008: Ecological Problems of the 21st Century was held in Sakharov’s International State Ecological University in May 2008. The conference is organized by the Sakharov International State Ecological University under the auspices of the Belarusian Emergencies Ministry, the Education Ministry, the Belarusian National Fund of Fundamental Research, Illinois University (the USA), the UNESCO Bureau in Moscow.

This year attending the conference were about 500 researchers from Belarus, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Moldova and Kazakhstan and also representatives of the Belarusian ministries of emergencies, energy, education, natural resources and environment protection, the health ministry.

The participants of the conference discussed the up-to-date research in ecology. More than 470 reports on medical ecology, bio-monitoring and bioindication, radioecology and radiation security, information systems and ecological technologies, ecological management, ecological monitoring and others were presented at the forum. The researchers also considered the problems and prospects of development of the renewable energy in Belarus and the issues concerning the ecological education and ecological ethics.

A seminar-training on ecological-ethical education for professors of Belarusian universities is expected to be held in summer this year.

Sakharov International State Ecological University was inaugurated in 1992. It trains specialists in ecology. The university conducts research in radioecology, radiation safety, nuclear medicine, radiation technologies. Scientists of the university also study the consequences of nuclear accidents. The university cooperates with IAEA, UNIESCO and also with educational centres of Great Britain, the USA, France, Greece, Israel, Slovakia and Poland. Students of the university participate in various international research and educational projects.