“Thank you for your invitation to share with you this special moment. Today, we pay tribute to brave men and women of Tipperary, who gave their lives for freedom around the world, in the two World Wars. We Belarusians also sacrificed many lives in both those wars, so this remembrance is something very close to my soul.
When I am thinking about Irishmen who fought and died for peace and freedom worldwide, it also makes me think about the Belarusians who sacrificed so much for our freedom.
There are so many connections in the history of our countries and maybe that's why I feel a special bond between us. I am not just talking about our history – your struggle for freedom and independence – but also our common values.
The Tipperary Remembrance Arch reminds us that freedom requires sacrifice. It requires resilience and determination. This is also something that the people of both of our countries share. So I can't imagine a better place to celebrate the friendship between us.
Our heroes from the year 2020, who were brutally killed on the streets or in prisons by Lukashenka’s police, don’t have monuments yet. Our heroes from 2022, who gave their lives defending Ukrainian sovereignty, don’t have monuments yet. Only after we defeat the dictatorship, will there be monuments to them. But I am certain: that day will come.
The example of Ireland gives us hope that one day Belarus will be free from oppression. Let me thank you once again for your love of freedom, embodied in this monument. And for your solidarity with those, who are fighting for freedom around the world.
Thank you”.
