Newsletter headings of "Mercury"

The grand opening of the Minsk International Exhibition Center BelExpo took place on May 8, 2025, although the first exhibition in this center was held back in January. MIEC is based on the best global practices and the most advanced solutions. It has exhibition and conference halls, as well as the necessary infrastructure for holding events of any kind. Victoria Agafonova, Deputy Director for Exhibition Activities of the state enterprise “BELEXPO”, spoke about the unique opportunities of the center, past and future events, and the importance of participating in exhibitions.

How did the idea of creating a new Minsk International Exhibition Center come about?

First, it's important to mention the role of congress and exhibition activity in the economy of every state. It is a driver of its development, attracting investment, technology, and expertise to the country, and demonstrating the capabilities of the state.

The Minsk International Exhibition Center BELEXPO is an important tool for realizing national and country interests. Therefore, the construction of the MIEC is not an immediate idea or a spontaneous decision. Having a good, modern, versatile demonstration platform is a global practice. The Republic of Belarus has been moving towards this for many years. To date, there are no analogs to BELEXPO in our country. It is the only platform that combines innovation, flexibility, and scale, which allows creating events of any format.

The capabilities of the MIEC are impressive. Here are just some of the figures:

• More than 37,000 square meters of total area – a two-story building with a mezzanine, designed in accordance with international standards.

• 14,700 square meters of covered exhibition spaces – for high-tech expositions, conferences, and shows.

• 22,300 square meters of open areas, which can be expanded by using the parking lots, turning the location into a unique arena for large-scale outdoor events.

• 2,300 parking spaces right on the territory of the MIEC – this provides comfort for participants and visitors.

• Direct access fr om the Minsk Ring Road (MRR), which creates convenience for the passage of large equipment – ideal logistical conditions for any project.

• A separate, independent congress zone. All conference halls and the congress hall have different configurations and are designed for events of various formats.

• An access control system that allows regulating the access of guests and event participants to various locations, depending on their tasks and the format of the event.

Thus, the universal platform for demonstrating the achievements of the country has been thought out to the smallest detail. During the opening of BELEXPO, the Head of the Belarusian State, Alexander Lukashenko, noted that the creation of such a large-scale object was necessary and dictated by the times. Modern, without excesses, soaring like a stork over a picturesque corner of our capital, it is designed to show the world our richest potential and the achievements of the Belarusian nation.

What technologies used in the MIEC make it possible to call it truly modern and universal?

First and foremost, it's BELEXPO's flexibility and mobility. MIEC is a column-free space with a ceiling height of 17 meters. The presence of mobile exhibition partitions in the halls allows you to model the space in any way you like. In addition, each hall has its own separate engineering system, which makes it possible to hold several diverse events simultaneously at the MIEC venues.

In the large hall, there is a mobile tribune with 1886 seats, which is able to transform from an exhibition space into a platform for holding congresses, forums, and seminars. Hatches in the exhibition halls allow you to connect any equipment to the necessary communications – electricity, water, etc.

IT solutions are also used in the work of the MIEC. At this stage, a modern registration and access system to the BELEXPO territory has already been implemented. We have also started developing software products for managing the site, including mobile applications for exhibition participants.

How many people can attend the MIEC at the same time?

The designed capacity of the center is 15,000 people per day, but we have had experience hosting far more visitors – up to 40,000 during the "My Belarus" exhibition, which took place in January 2025. Everything is provided here for the comfortable stay of participants and guests. There are rest areas, a restaurant, more than 20 separate rooms for negotiations are organized, and a huge parking lot has been built on the territory. As for transport links, a permanent route from the metro stations will be launched by the end of the year, and temporary shuttles are currently operating for guests of our events. In the future, it is planned to launch a metro to the "Northern Coast" microdistrict.

Which industries will become the leading ones for exhibitions at BELEXPO?

For the successful holding of any event, it is primarily important that it has a specific goal. We are sure that every industry has a need for professional communication, for discussing problems, issues, and finding solutions, so it is difficult to single out any leading areas for holding exhibitions. I am sure that the emergence of a professional and multifunctional platform will be an incentive for the development of congress activities and the formation of key international events in those industries that were previously not sufficiently developed in our country in terms of holding their own events.

What major events have already taken place at BELEXPO?

The first event in the new exhibition center took place even before the full launch of the facility – the "My Belarus" exhibition, which was visited by more than 400,000 people. It became a trial, but very successful event on the territory of the exhibition center. In addition, from May 8 to July 5, the MIEC hosts the exhibition "Road to Victory", dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The first major event in the format of business tasks was the XII International Exhibition of Armaments and Military Equipment "MILEX-2025", held in May. In early June, we held the "Belagro-2025" exhibition – a major event in the country's agriculture. Undoubtedly, the largest event held at MIEC BELEXPO in June was the Eurasian Economic Forum with the participation of the heads of state of the Eurasian Economic Union. We were visited by the presidents of the EAEU countries and friendly countries. It was both an honor and a great responsibility to host such distinguished guests and a high-profile event.

As for exhibitions from countries of the far arc, we are working in this direction together with colleagues from the BelCCI. We expect major global events to be hosted at our venue, which will bring new investors to the country.

Are there any agreements with other countries regarding joint projects?

We are working closely with the Russian Federation. In May of this year, almost immediately after the opening of the MIEC, we held a business mission with representatives of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs. Leading players in the congress and exhibition industry came to discuss cooperation options. This autumn, the First International Industrial Exhibition "Innoprom" in the Republic of Belarus will be held at the MIEC. This exhibition is a key project of the congress and exhibition industry.

With colleagues from the National Center "Russia" at the site of the Minsk International Exhibition Center BELEXPO, we signed an Agreement on Cooperation in the tourism sector. A unique and very important project - "Victory Routes" - has now been launched. It is especially meaningful that we are implementing it in this landmark year – the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

Why is it important for businesses to participate in exhibitions?

In countries wh ere congress and exhibition activity has a long history, there is an opinion: if you are not at a professional exhibition, then you are not in business. For Belarusian enterprises, an exhibition is a unique tool that, in a short time - in 2-3 days - provides an opportunity to see almost the entire cross-section of the industry market. Track trends in your field, communicate with clients, look at competitors, note your strengths and weaknesses, and, most importantly, find new business partners. By competently working out new contacts, enterprises will undoubtedly receive a tangible result.

MIEC BELEXPO is an excellent tool for promoting Belarusian business. We invite everyone to get acquainted with the possibilities of the new modern platform. We are confident that in the coming years the new exhibition center will make the Republic of Belarus one of the key points on the map of business destinations in the world.