The KSE #SmartFest took place at the Kyiv School of Economics!

KSE #SmartFest is about community💛

An acoustic piano and hip-hop concert by Kurgan & Agregat, a football freestyle and a master class on the art of reading, lectures on neurobiology, mathematics, creativity and emotional burnout, stop-motion animation and techmed workshops, panel discussions and the best guests. From Friday to Sunday, the Kyiv School of Economics hosted the KSE #SmartFest!

The three-day festival brought together extraordinary and talented people and laid the foundation for the expansion of the KSE community. This community unites not only students, teachers and graduates of the Kyiv School of Economics, but also the best scientists, inventors, developers, artists, volunteers and public activists. People who inspire others, develop and rebuild Ukraine.

The winners of the “Talents For Ukraine” grant program from the KSE Foundation gave lectures and workshops for the festival guests, and the discussion panels were moderated by KSE President Tymofiy Mylovanov and Rector of KSE University Tymofiy Brik.

For three days, the participants of KSE #SmartFest discussed socially important topics – how to carry out gentle Ukrainization, why popularization of science in Ukraine is important, and which modern trends appear in propaganda. And for the students of the Kyiv School of Economics, the conversation about the development of their own business with the general director and initiator of “Promprylad.Renovation” Yurii Filiuk, who opened the event, became extremely important:

“Such people are very motivating. We realized that everything is possible, but the main thing in one’s business is to do it from the heart! And those who already have their own business had the opportunity to ask about the steps in business development and what traits one must have in order to be successful and benefit society,” – said Viktoriia Hermanchuk, a student of the Kyiv School of Economics.

During the discussion about the easy transition to the Ukrainian language, the founder of the media about communications, Maryna Baturynets, shared her own recipe for gentle Ukrainianization:

“If you are the owner of a socially responsible brand, you cannot hire people who do not speak Ukrainian. If it is uncomfortable to hear the Russian language in space, we should talk about it without any embarrassment.”

Co-author of the literary podcast “Gogol’s Mustache”, Vadym Kyrylenko recommended that guests read literature in English translation, if there is no Ukrainian – bypassing the Russian version. And Iryna Minkovska, the founder of the educational center “ME AND MY SCHOOL”, told how she was looking for teachers in Kharkiv:

“Four years ago, when I opened Ukrainian-language educational center, no one believed that I would find teachers. Two of them specially took Ukrainian language courses to join our team.”

Reading expert Tetiana Orlyk, developer Arsenii Matviichuk, biotechnologist Nadiia Kasianchuk, co-hosts of the YouTube show “about” Natia Hresko and Kateryna Motrych, actress Oksana Strynadiuk, and neuroscientist Nana Voitenko delivered lectures for the festival guests.

Olena Karlova, mathematician and laureate of “The Andrew Bruckner Award 2023”, taught guests how to overcome the “barrier of impossibility” and use mathematics to conquer mountain peaks and overcome marathons:

“Why can children solve a problem that mathematicians cannot solve? Because they have no barrier of impossibility. Math classes train endurance, because you can take on a problem, the solution of which will not lead to anything. When I’m stuck at work, I start solving school assignments and then go back to difficult subjects. People don’t reach the top of the mountain when they want to get there faster, but when they choose a route to which the body adapts, everything is possible.”

KSE #SmartFest combined serious discussions and an entertaining program – the musician and winner of the “Talents For Ukraine” grant program Ihor Yanchuk gave an acoustic concert, playing neoclassical pieces by modern composers and author’s works on the piano. And Amil and Ramil Nasirov sang the songs “Kurgan & Agregat”!

Together, we learned freestyle football from the leader of the street football movement Serhii Savenko, created our own cartoons under the guidance of animator Leonid Tyvoniuk, wove a camouflage net with the charitable foundation “Kitty Soloma” and learned to provide pre-medical assistance with Andrii Maranov, a surgeon and the founder of the “Just.Save.Life” startup.

And we also watched “Luxembourg, Luxembourg”, were inspired by the inventions and developments of the winners of “Talents For Ukraine”, took part in the quest and captured their memories on instant photos.