On October 11, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Forum 2000 Conference, which brings together politicians, human rights defenders, and civil society representatives from around the world in Prague every year. This year’s participants included Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of Venezuela’s democratic forces, María Corina Machado, as well as representatives of democratic movements in Nicaragua, Tibet, Myanmar, and Turkey. The President of the Czech Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, also attended the event.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke about the power of solidarity, the importance of Ukraine’s victory, and support for political prisoners and everyone standing up to dictatorships, calling for unity across the democratic world in the face of shared threats.
“I know how hard it is to hold on to hope when there is so much bad news around us. But dictators want us to feel powerless. Let’s not give them that satisfaction. Europe is strong because of its values. Never abandon them. And never underestimate your own strength. Don’t believe Putin. Don’t believe Lukashenka. And don’t be afraid of them. Stay united. Stay confident. Don’t lose your optimism, because the greatest gift we can give dictators is our fear. And the greatest threat to them is our courage”.
Forum 2000 was founded in 1996 by Czech President Václav Havel, Japanese philanthropist Yohei Sasakawa, and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel. It carries on Havel’s legacy by promoting democracy, human rights, and civil society, while providing a platform for exchanging experiences and building cooperation. This year, the forum marks its 30th anniversary. Past participants include the Dalai Lama, Bill Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Lech Wałęsa, and Alaksandr Milinkievič.
