50th anniversary of man in space to be celebrated with IQ ball

Krasnoyarsk (Russia), Feb 20 (Itar-Tass) Over 1,500talented young people from Russia will take part in atraditional IQ Ball together with the youth from theAsia-Pacific Region''s countries to celebrate the anniversaryof the first manned space flight 50 years ago.

This year''s ''star ball'' will have a motto "Let''s Go,"which is a phrase first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin said as he wastaking off from Earth.

The ball will take place on February 25 and it will bedevoted to the first flight.

"As of now, over 1,500 energetic and initiative youthleaders from various regions of Russia and the Asia-Pacificcountries have confirmed their participation," Head of theYouth Initiatives Support Department of the regional Ministryof Sports Anna Zhuravleva told Itar-Tass.

The organisers have an idea that the young intellectuals,like cosmonauts do, will undergo a choice procedure andcertain training programmes during the event.

"Everything will start with a theoretic course of a youngcosmonaut -- they will have to fill in a questionnaire ontheir personal and industrial achievements, then they willhave to take part in competitions, conferences and so no, andonly after that the best will get to the so-called Star Townto go to the Youth Space Station, where they will take part invarious projects in different modules," Zhuravleva said.

Quite traditionally, a grand polonaise music will openthe ball, which will be closed by a waltz ballroom dance.

The atmosphere of space environment will be achieved byan alley of interactive technologies, where the participantswill be able to play computer games, draw, or watch the Earthfrom the space.

The organisers will also offer eight interactiveplatforms to use. An evening concert featuring talented youthwill be the climax of the event.

Russia''s first IQ Ball was organised in 2003 at theinitiative of the region''s then governor, presently Russia''sDeputy Prime Minister Alexander Khloponin. (Itar-Tass)