On October 21, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended a screening of Volia Chajkouskaya’s documentary “Not Made for Politics” at the CinEast international film festival in Luxembourg. Filmed over five years, the documentary tells the stories of Belarusian women who never planned to enter politics but became leaders in the struggle for freedom. Following the screening, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya […]

On October 22, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Luxembourg’s Chamber of Deputies at a joint meeting with parliamentary leadership and the Committee on Foreign and European Affairs. Participants included Deputy Speaker André Bauler, Head of the “For a Democratic Belarus” Group Paul Galles, and members of parliament from various political parties. The speech and the discussion that […]

In Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies, Mantas Adomėnas. A year ago, the United Transitional Cabinet signed a memorandum of cooperation with the organization. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Mr. Adomėnas for the organization’s support for Belarusians, campaign to secure the release of film director Andrei Hniot, and cooperation with […]

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, met in Warsaw with the Head of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Political Cabinet, Paweł Graś. They discussed support for Belarusians in Poland, the situation surrounding political repression in Belarus, and regional cooperation amid the ongoing crisis. Mr. Kuchynski conveyed Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s gratitude to Prime Minister Donald Tusk and […]

In Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and the Deputy Head of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office’s International Cooperation Department, responsible for relations with Poland, Stanislava Hlinnik, met with the Deputy Director of the International Policy Bureau at Polish President Karol Nawrocki’s Chancellery, Ambassador Sebastian Kęciek. The meeting continued the dialogue with the Polish President’s Chancellery, […]

On October 20, the Golden Laurels (Złote Laury) awards ceremony took place in Warsaw, organized by the popular Polish publications Super Express and Super Biznes. One of the evening’s main honorees was Belarusian–Polish journalist and former political prisoner Andrzej Poczobut, who was named Person of the Year. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the ceremony. In addition to […]

On October 20, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held an informal meeting in Warsaw with the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Canada, Finland, Luxembourg, Spain, and Sweden. The meeting was hosted by UK Ambassador Melinda Simmons and continued the dialogue that began at a meeting with the ambassadors in June this year. The participants discussed: the situation in […]

In Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met for the first time with the Rector of the European Humanities University, Vilius Šadauskas. The Chair of the University’s Governing Board, Mantas Adomėnas, also took part in the meeting. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the EHU is a major asset and an important institution for Belarusian society, calling for preserving it […]

A meeting took place at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in Vilnius between Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and the International Relations Coordinator in the office of Venezuela’s democratic leader María Corina Machado, Pedro Urruchurtu. The meeting focused on expanded cooperation with Venezuela and other Latin American countries. The sides agreed to develop contacts with politicians, […]

On October 17, the Director of the Belarusian Democratic Community Center in Florence and Head of the People’s Embassy of Belarus in Italy, Yuliya Yukhno, spoke at “A City of Many Voices” (Una città molteplice), a meeting organized by the Municipality of Prato as part of the “Prato — City for Peace” series of events. […]

The Rapporteur for a Democratic Belarus at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Belinda Gottardi, visited the Belarusian Democratic Community Center in Sesto Fiorentino and a shelter for Belarusians in Montelupo Fiorentino. The Director of the Center and Head of the People’s Embassy of Belarus in Italy, Yuliya Yukhno, […]

WARSAW SECURITY FORUM Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the Warsaw Security Forum, where she held a series of meetings and joined discussions on the Russian threat, support for Ukraine, and Belarus’s security. She participated in the panel “The Democratic Front: Leadership Against Russian Authoritarianism” and spoke at the roundtable “Belarus: Full-Scale Militarization”, where BELPOL presented a report […]

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, has prepared a report on violations of women’s rights in Belarus. The report notes that discrimination against women in Belarus is systemic and structural and that the use of legislation for repressive purposes has become a tool of political persecution and […]

On October 15, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered the keynote speech at the Vilnius Freedom Summit, organized by Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Freedom House. The summit brings together representatives of democratic governments, human rights defenders, former political prisoners, and civil society from Europe and Latin America. Participants include: Kęstutis Budrys, Minister of Foreign Affairs of […]

«Dear Minister, Dear Kestutis Dear Remigijus, Dear Jamie, Norm, Jane Dear excelencies, and friends, First of all, thank you, dear Kestutis, for your strong words, and for this summit. As you know, Lithuania became my second home after the Lukashenka regime forced me and my family into exile. Lithuania became home to thousands of Belarusians […]

On October 14, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke in Warsaw at an event titled “Transnational Repression by the Lukashenka Regime: A Coordinated International Response is Needed”, held as part of the OSCE Warsaw Human Dimension Conference. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, also attended the event. Two new studies were presented: the latest iSANS report […]

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at an OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) event dedicated to preserving national and cultural identity under authoritarianism and the role of young people in promoting Belarusian language and culture. The event was organized by around 30 OSCE participating States that are members of the Informal Group of Friends […]

During the Warsaw Security Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with international partners to discuss the Russian threat, support for Ukraine, the release of political prisoners, and the protection of Belarusians in exile facing persecution. Speeches At the panel “The Democratic Front: Leadership Against Russian Authoritarianism”, alongside former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, fifth President of Georgia […]

The European Defense Townhall discussion, organized as part of the Munich Security Conference, took place at the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH). The event brought together more than 300 participants to discuss current challenges to European security and priorities for strengthening Europe’s defenses. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the discussion. Other participants included: Oana-Silvia Țoiu, […]

Being a mother is one of the most challenging and, at the same time, one of the most important and rewarding roles a woman can take on. It is a monumental job with no days off, no breaks, and no holidays. You give your children all of yourself: you discover the world alongside them, teach […]

In Warsaw, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andrii Sybiha. The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Pavel Latushka, as well as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka, and Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people […]

At the Warsaw Security Forum, BELPOL presented a new report on the scale of Belarus’s militarization and its deepening military cooperation with Russia during the roundtable “Belarus: Full-Scale Militarization”. Organized in partnership with the German Marshall Fund (GMF), the discussion brought together around 40 experts in international and European security. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the event […]

On October 13, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in a panel discussion titled “The Democratic Front: Leadership Against Russian Authoritarianism” at the Warsaw Security Forum. Other participants included former President of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves, fifth President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili, and Russian opposition politician Vladimir Kara-Murza. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke about Belarus’s European future, the importance […]

During the Warsaw Security Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Vice-President of the Portuguese Parliament, Marcos Perestrello. The Secretary General of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Benedetta Berti, also attended the meeting. The parties discussed: the security situation in Belarus and the region, the militarization of Belarus, and threats […]

EASIER VISAS FOR RELATIVES OF BELARUSIANS IN CZECHIA The Czech government approved changes that will allow close relatives of Belarusians legally residing in the country to apply for short-stay visas. This is a result of the sustained work by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Belarus’s democratic forces with Czech partners. Once the changes take effect, close relatives […]

“Dear Excellencies, dear friends, First of all, I want to thank BELPOL and the German Marshall Fund for organizing this discussion and bringing together such distinguished experts. Belarus shows perfectly how democracy and security are connected. In 2020, Belarus was seen primarily as a human rights and democracy issue. But after Russia’s full-scale invasion of […]

Julia Mickiewicz has been appointed Advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Inclusion and Equality In this role, Julia Mickiewicz will advise Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office on inclusion and equality, combating discrimination and violence, and contribute to policy positions for Belarus’s democratic forces and reform proposals for a democratic Belarus. She will also work with Belarusian and international […]

During her visit to Prague, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Belarusian community in Czechia. The meeting brought together around 20 representatives of the Belarusian diaspora, civil society organizations, and various initiatives. Participants discussed the Belarusian community’s activities in Czechia, possible cultural and public events, support for Belarusians in exile, and opportunities for further cooperation with […]

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, took part in a discussion at the opening of Hamburg Press Freedom Week on October 11. The event focused on the voices of journalists and civil society representatives working under conditions of repression and exile. Mr. Marozau called independent Belarusian media an important voice of a free […]