On August 3-4, the New Belarus Conference 2024 will take place in Vilnius, bringing together Belarus’ democratic forces, activists, public and cultural initiatives, and representatives of the diaspora.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office has prepared a preliminary program for the event. Please note that changes are possible.
If you wish to participate in the conference, find all the necessary information about registration at the link.
August 3
Panel No. 1. Democratic Forces’ Responses to Key Challenges of 2025
- “2025 Election”: How to prevent the regime from “turning over the page”?
- How to respond to an escalation of the war or involvement of the Belarusian army?
- How to draw international attention to Belarus?
- How to overcome the growing divide between Belarusians and the democratic forces, as well as those inside the country and those in exile?
- Is there a real threat to Belarus’ sovereignty and national independence?
Panel No. 2. More Europe for Belarusians in 2025
- How to promote the mobility of Belarusians?
- How to prevent a new Iron Curtain at the border and keep European doors open for Belarusians?
- What is needed to increase the effectiveness and accessibility of educational programs and professional opportunities for Belarusians?
- How to counter the increasing orientation of Belarus toward Russia?
- How to defeat Belarusians’ mindset about “not being welcome in Europe”?
- How to work with sanctions so that there is more Europe in Belarus?
Panel No. 3. Assistance to Political Prisoners in 2025: From Release to Rehabilitation
- What can we do to speed up the release of political prisoners?
- How to help those who have already been released?
- Directions of rehabilitation.
- Presentation of the International Humanitarian Fund
- What is this fund?
- How does it differ from other programs?
- How did the fund emerge?
- How will it help Belarusians?
Panel No. 4. Belarusian Identity in 2025: How to Preserve and Strengthen It?
- What does it mean to be Belarusian today and what guarantees our identity?
- How to support the promotion of Belarusian art?
- How to integrate the study of Belarusian culture, history, and language into the lives and education of Belarusians in exile?
- How to encourage the creation and dissemination of content in the Belarusian language online?
- How to support Belarusian-speaking bloggers?
- How to attract more people to cultural events and projects?
- How to popularize the history of Belarus?
- Which historical events and figures are key to Belarusian identity, and how to integrate them into public consciousness?
August 4
Panel No. 5. Small-Scale Economy
- What worries Belarusians: prices, earnings, pensions, shortage of essential goods, healthcare, or other social services?
- How should a responsible government cope with these challenges? The response of Belarus’ democratic forces.
- Vision of the New Belarus.
Panel No. 6. From Solidarity to Action: Why It Is Important to Support Each Other in Crisis Moments
- Can the democratic forces take on the function of supporting vulnerable groups in exile?
- How can volunteer and public initiatives contribute to the support of vulnerable groups and strengthen trust in democratic forces?
- Are there examples of successful support of vulnerable groups by democratic forces – and what can we learn from them?
- What resources and infrastructure are needed for support, and how can they be developed?
Political World Café with Coordination Council Commissions/Factions: “What Can We Do for Belarus in 2025?”
- Brief pitching from representatives of the Coordination Council commissions/factions: Fields on which they focus their activities.
- Each faction/commission will have a room and a facilitator and will be able to present themselves and their ideas to the public and conduct a Q&A session.
- Presentation of the World Café results. Each commission will have 5 minutes to present its results.
Panel No. 7. Belarusian Volunteer Fighters and Veterans: Public Opinion and Systemic Support
- What steps are needed to solve the problems faced by veterans and volunteer fighters?
- How to change public opinion toward them?
- How to provide medical, legal, social, and psychological support? Examples of successful international cooperation and partnership options with international organizations.
- How to unite Belarusians with combat experience into a single community capable of actively participating in the liberation of Belarus?
- Presentation of Platform 2025 – the democratic forces’ joint strategy for 2025.
- Conclusion of the conference, final word by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
- Joint signing of Platform 2025 and the Y Protocol.
