Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is taking part in the International Impact Conference for the second time. This year, it is taking place in Poznań on May 14–15. Impact brings together thought leaders, politicians, and experts from around the world. Among this year’s speakers are Barack Obama, Francis Fukuyama, Radosław Sikorski, John Kerry, Anne Applebaum, and others.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke on the second day of the conference, May 15, during a panel discussion titled “Voice of Courage: Democracy, Leadership and the Power of Women”.
Below are some key statements from the Belarusian leader’s speech.
- On what autocrats fear in women: “I think autocrats are afraid of women’s determination and resilience. Women fight not only for themselves but for their children and their families. This makes them strong. Women are in it for the long haul. I believe women are harder to buy. And men in power often look down on us, see us as weak, so it’s especially hard for them to lose to a woman in an election”.
- On the unique contribution of women’s leadership to democracy: “Women know what it means to be deprived of rights and equality in authoritarian societies. In male-dominated systems, they have almost no access to social mobility. Only democracy can guarantee real equality for women”.
- On hope and her message to women: “My hope is in the people. When I see so many brilliant young women in our movement, when I hear stories of solidarity in prison, I feel renewed optimism. Women in Belarus still want change – and it will come. My message to everyone watching us is never give up. You are stronger than you think”.
On peace talks: “Unfortunately, I’m quite skeptical about these negotiations. There’s an illusion that Putin and Lukashenka want peace. But war benefits them – it supports their economies and allows them to keep society under control. We’ve all seen that Putin sent third-tier officials to Istanbul. He doesn’t take peace seriously. Now it’s time for the democratic world to show its teeth. We have the tools and the means to make dictators change their behavior”.
