September 08, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the Day of Belarusian Military Glory
Dear Belarusians, For many years, we were told that Belarusian history began barely a century ago. Supposedly, there was nothing before the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire. But that is not true. On September 8, 1514, near Orsha, the army of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, commanded by Konstanty […]
September 06, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined Poland’s National Reading, attended by President Karol Nawrocki
On September 5, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the finale of Poland’s National Reading alongside the Belarusian diaspora in Warsaw. The event took place near the Adam Mickiewicz Monument. This year, the work selected for the reading was “Dziady” — a work about nations who fought for freedom and the right to be themselves. The event was […]
September 04, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a briefing for Latin American and European diplomats
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a briefing for diplomats from Latin American and European countries with the support of the Ambassador of Spain in Poland, Victoria Ortega Gutiérrez. The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of Brazil, Chile, Panama, Portugal, and Spain. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called on the diplomats to support Belarus on the international stage, including by […]
September 03, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Lithuanian Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas and other MPs
On September 3, the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament, Juozas Olekas, officially received Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Vilnius. Members of the “For a Democratic Belarus” Parliamentary Group and representatives of most political parties also took part in the meeting. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was accompanied by her Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka; Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski; and Advisor on […]
September 03, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Belarusian teachers and education administrators in Vilnius
To mark the beginning of the school year, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited a Belarusian educational institution in Vilnius to speak with the team that continues to educate Belarusian children in exile. The meeting focused on the current challenges facing educators, from Lithuanian language proficiency requirements to finding support and engaging with foreign embassies. The school’s leadership […]
September 03, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on the EU to maintain pressure until systemic changes in Belarus
On September 2, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a briefing in Vilnius for ambassadors and diplomats from 17 European Union countries. The meeting was organized by the Embassy of Ireland. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya presented the outcomes of the New Belarus Conference and spoke about the efforts to secure the release of political prisoners and cooperation with Ukraine. She […]
September 03, 2026
Pavel Tereshkovich’s comment on the regime’s attack on private tutors
Ahead of the start of the new school year, the Lukashenka regime’s Minister of Education, Andrei Ivanets, gave an interview to Onliner. Among other things, he shared his view of tutors: “I simply cannot stand them at all. Every person has their own potential, including intellectual potential. What does a tutor do? In a short […]
September 02, 2026
Political prisoners’ freedom starts with their names being known
The release of political prisoners is a priority for the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. We work every day with international partners, diplomats, and human rights organizations to secure freedom for everyone who has been deprived of it on political grounds. Today, human rights defenders are aware of thousands of people who have faced politically motivated […]
September 01, 2026
35 years since the restoration of Belarus’s independence. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: August 24–30
35 YEARS SINCE THE RESTORATION OF BELARUS’S INDEPENDENCE On August 25, Belarus marked 35 years since the restoration of its independence. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians on this occasion: “Many generations of Belarusians dreamed of having their own state. They fought for it, were imprisoned, and went into exile. And our generation was the first to […]
September 01, 2026
August 2026: Highlights from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office
The key event of August was the New Belarus Conference in Warsaw. At the same time, work continued with international partners on legal and security issues faced by Belarusians, as well as support for cultural and civic initiatives. Below are the key developments of the month. The New Belarus Conference took place in Warsaw. Participants […]
September 01, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Knowledge Day address
On Knowledge Day, which marks the start of the new school year in Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addresses schoolchildren, students, teachers, and parents. She calls on young people to stay curious and find their own path, thanks teachers who, despite ideological pressure, continue to teach children to think, and thanks parents for supporting their children and […]
August 31, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the Day of the Restoration of Belarus’s Independence
Dear Belarusians, Today, we mark 35 years since the restoration of Belarus’s independence. Many generations of Belarusians dreamed of having their own state. They fought for it, were imprisoned, and went into exile. And our generation was the first to have the chance to live in an independent country of our own. Perhaps that is […]
August 31, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the Independence Day of Ukraine
Dear President Zelenskyy, Dear Ukrainians, Congratulations on Independence Day! You pay a high price for your independence every single day. Through your example, you show the world what courage means. And you give hope to other nations that are also fighting for freedom. Three months ago, I was in Kyiv and saw your strength firsthand. […]
August 31, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the farewell ceremony for Aliaksandr Milinkievič
On August 22, a farewell ceremony was held in Warsaw for prominent Belarusian civic and political figure and 2006 presidential candidate Aliaksandr Milinkievič. Hundreds of Belarusians, diplomats, and representatives of the Polish government attended the service and memorial events. The ceremony and service took place at the Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. During […]
August 25, 2026
Work on expired Belarusian passports, meeting with Lithuania’s Environment Ministry Chancellor, farewell to Aliaksandr Milinkievič. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: August 17–23
MEETING WITH LITHUANIA’S ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY CHANCELLOR Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office Director in Vilnius, Dzianis Kuchynski, and Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, met with the Chancellor of the Ministry of Environment of Lithuania, Vladislav Kondratovič. They discussed the safety of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, the impact of the recent review of areas […]
August 24, 2026
Overview of developments in education and science: July 2026
Developments in Belarus Foreign student statistics In July, Belarusian Education Minister A. Ivanets and Deputy Prime Minister Natallia Piatkevich repeatedly stated that 37,000 foreign students are studying in the country and that their number has increased by 10,000 over the past four years. They also claimed that one in three foreign students, or 12,300, are […]
August 20, 2026
Meeting with Lithuania’s Environment Ministry Chancellor Vladislav Kondratovič at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in Vilnius
A meeting with the Chancellor of the Ministry of Environment and former Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Vladislav Kondratovič, took place at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor and Director of the Vilnius Office, Dzianis Kuchynski, and Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, joined the meeting. The parties discussed issues […]
August 20, 2026
Farewell ceremony for Aliaksandr Milinkievič
The date and location of the farewell ceremony for Aliaksandr Milinkievič have been announced. He was a prominent civic and political figure, the sole presidential candidate of the united democratic opposition in the 2006 election, a recipient of the Sakharov Prize, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Non-Staff Advisor on Promoting Belarus’s European Choice. Mr. Milinkievič passed away […]
August 20, 2026
“Wanted by the Dictator: The Red Notice State”: Expert briefing in Prague on transnational repression by the regime in Belarus
A closed briefing, “Wanted by the Dictator: The Red Notice State”, was held at the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic. The event focused on the Lukashenka regime’s use of international wanted-person mechanisms to carry out transnational repression against Belarusians. The event was opened by Director of the Prague Office, Kryścina Šyjanok, […]
August 20, 2026
Political Update: July–August 2026
Belarusians marked the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests, New Belarus Conference was held in Warsaw on 7–9 August, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s conducted multiple international meetings. WHAT’S GOING ON? Belarusians have marked the sixth anniversary of the 2020 elections and protests. On 9 August, rallies took place in Vilnius, Warsaw, and other cities, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed […]
August 19, 2026
Simplified passport and migration procedures for Belarusians in Sweden, meeting at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: August 10–16
SIMPLIFIED PASSPORT AND MIGRATION PROCEDURES FOR BELARUSIANS IN SWEDEN The Swedish Migration Agency has updated its legal position regarding Belarusians who cannot safely return to Belarus to obtain a new passport. The changes allow them, in certain cases, to obtain an alien’s passport and apply for or extend a residence permit without a valid Belarusian […]
August 18, 2026
Monitoring of the activity of Russian ‘soft power’ institutions in Belarus in January–June 2026
Executive summary. In the first half of 2026, Russia continued to expand its ‘soft power’ infrastructure in Belarus: its network of diplomatic missions, institutions of the Russkiy Mir Foundation and affiliated organisations. The most active areas were the promotion of Russian ideological discourse, work with young people, and influence over historical memory. The activities of […]
August 18, 2026
Expired Belarusian passports: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office works to secure solutions for Belarusians in exile
The International Department of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office continues its systematic work on the issue of expired Belarusian passports. Diplomatic Advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Dzianis Kuchynski, explains how negotiations with governments of different countries are conducted and what results have already been achieved. The work is being carried out in two directions: European-wide. Thanks to Luxembourg […]
August 17, 2026
Dzianis Kuchynski met with Adam Hałaciński and Grzegorz Poznański at Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, held a meeting with Poland’s Foreign Minister’s Plenipotentiary for Cooperation with the Democratic Forces of Belarus, Adam Hałaciński, and Deputy Director of the Eastern Department at Poland’s MFA, Grzegorz Poznański. The meeting focused on key areas of strategic cooperation between Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sviatlana Tsihanouskaya’s Office, […]
August 17, 2026
Sweden updated its policy on Belarusian passports, easing procedures for Belarusians in exile
The Migration Agency of Sweden has updated its legal position regarding Belarusian citizens’ inability to renew their national passport. It now recognizes that Belarusians returning to Belarus to renew their passports may face politically motivated persecution, including detention. This decision is the result of long-term, systematic work by the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the People’s […]
August 17, 2026
“1968–1989, 2020–?: A Czech Lesson for Belarus”: Prague discussion on the struggle for freedom
On August 10, Prague hosted the discussion “1968–1989, 2020–?: A Czech Lesson for Belarus”, marking the sixth anniversary of the protests against dictatorship and violence in Belarus. The event brought together around 100 people, including Czech representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, NGOs, and civil society. The event was organized by the Office of Belarus […]
August 14, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with ambassadors and diplomats working on Belarus
On the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with special envoys, ambassadors, and diplomats working on Belarus. The meeting was attended by Adam Hałaciński (Poland), Grete Sillasen (Denmark), Cody Thompson (US), Bjørn Erik Brustad (Norway), Patrik Svensson (Sweden), Gunta Pastore (Latvia), Karmen Laus (Estonia), Jaana Teckenberg (Finland), Asta Andrijauskienė (Lithuania), and Iaroslav […]
August 11, 2026
New Belarus Conference, 2020 protests anniversary. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: August 3–9
NEW BELARUS CONFERENCE The annual New Belarus Conference took place in Warsaw on August 7–9, bringing together around 300 participants, including ordinary Belarusians, representatives of the democratic forces, politicians, and international partners. On August 7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at three side events. On August 8, she delivered a welcome speech, participated in panel discussions, and […]
August 11, 2026
International solidarity statements in support of Belarusians on the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests
On August 9, Belarusians around the world held rallies and events to mark the day when peaceful protests against the dictatorship began six years ago. On this occasion, heads of state, government ministers, and leading politicians from around the world expressed their support for the Belarusian people. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office has compiled a list of […]