The NES 20th Anniversary

It's seems to me that I'm not only NES student who will write a post #14 about the NES 20th Anniversary. It is no wonder. According to Konstantin Sonin, “There is no doubt that The NES Anniversary will be the main event of academic season in economic science, it can be guaranteed" (Sonin, December 11, 2012). Actually, after the celebration ceremony of the Anniversary I realized that Sonin was right.
I worked on the Anniversary as a volunteer. We were discussing unpaid internship last lessons with my classmates. I urged that every person should have internship so that to get useful experience for the future and also to get important contacts. Therefore, when I got an offer to become a volunteer on the NES Anniversary I hadn't any doubts to accept it.
The first day (14 December) of the Anniversary wasn't simple for me. Me and my colleagues ought to transport electronic devices and other things from NES building to World Trade Center, where the Anniversary was celebrated. After four hours of work we were invited to the stand-up of "Welcome reception". There I was stuffed full and was ready to continue working next day :) . Moreover, the next day many lessons of famous economists were planned, and I was looking forward to visit them.
15 December. The greatest day if the celebration.
At the beginning of that day Olivier Blanchard, the Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund, presented a keynote speech "The State of the World Economy". It was interesting, but, worth to say that I didn't understand all his speech at all because of lack of experience in listening scientific lectures. However, I was very glad to listen such a famous person. All in all, it is a big rarity to meet with people like Blanchard is, every day.
But it was only the beginning. Next, I attended a roundtable "Does Internet change everything?" At that roundtable I was explained that Internet would play more and more important role in people life. One evidence is that almost all students know information from the Internet, not from TV (none of the students raised their hand when were asked this question).
The most interesting roundtable was "Economic policy". Speakers were Arkady Dvorkovich (Deputy Prime Minister), Igor Shuvalov (First Deputy Prime Minister), Erik Berglof (Chief Economist and Special Adviser to the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), Sergei Guriev (the Rector of the New Economic School), and Anders Aslund (a famous Swedish economist). They told about Russian economic policy, its failures. In addition, they evaluated perspectives of Russian Economy development. 

It is worth saying that at the beginning of this roundtable Igor Shuvalov and Arkady Dvorkovich were absented themselves. That time, S. Guriev, E. Berglof, and A. Aslund didn't have any reason to argue with each other about their economic views. However, when I. Shuvalov and A. Dvorkovich came, the topic of the roundtable became debatable. It was very interesting and, worth to say, amusingly! The most memorable moment of this roundtable was the suggestion which was given to students by I. Shuvalov to sign up for internship in the government during one summer's month. Frankly speaking, I thought it was joke, but then I noticed woman who signed up students for this internship. However, I didn't sign up, because I thought that this summer I would have more valuable opportunities to get useful experience for the future. 

The NES 20th Anniversary Dinner.

After the roundtable "Economic policy" all guests and volunteers were invited to the NES 20th Anniversary Dinner. It was amazing! Many famous people such as German Gref, Petr Aven, Gur Ofer, Mikhail Abyzov, Barry Ickes and many professors of prestigious foreign universities congratulated the New Economic School for its anniversary. I had never seen so many famous people in one place and I felt myself like on the other planet. However, it was reality, and I was very glad to feel myself a member of the NES – this fascinating community! 

One of the most memorable and unexpected event was performance given by a professor Andrei Shevchenko and Roger Myerson - the Nobel Laureate in Economics in 2007. A. Shevchenko song and R. Myerson accompanied him by harmonica.

After this performance, students of  joint HSE/NES Bachelor of Arts in Economics program took a photo with J. Myerson.

After this performance, students of  joint HSE/NES Bachelor of Arts in Economics program took a photo with J. Myerson.

In conclusion, I'd like to say that the NES 20th Anniversary, according to K. Sonin was really the main event of academic season in  economic science in Russia. Moreover,  the Anniversary became one of the most memorable event in my life. I'm really proud to be a NES student!