“Hi! I am Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. And I didn't expect to be here.
Two years ago, I was a housewife, raising two hard-of-hearing children. I had no interest in politics, and the very thought of going on stage like this was a nightmare for me.
I became a politician by accident. My husband Siarhei was a YouTube blogger, he traveled around Belarus and interviewed ordinary people about their life under dictatorship. This inspired him to run for president. Siarhei was arrested immediately because he dared to challenge the dictator.
I was very scared. But I made the decision to run in his place one sleepless night.
I was joined by two amazing women. Though none of us had political experience, it took us just 7 minutes to unite all the opposition forces.
Veronika, Maria, and Tatsiana – thank you for being by my side now and back then. Your courage always amazed me. And I am still looking up to you.
I remember our first rally. My voice was breaking. I was afraid to forget my name. Since then I have changed a lot, but my voice still breaks when I speak to big crowds though [smile and applause].
This is how our rally started. And this rally is still going on.
- We rallied against tyranny. We formed a peaceful movement that brought hundreds of thousands to the streets for months. Despite repressions and terror, our rally did not stop for a day.
- We rallied for a vision of a new Belarus. Where the law protects citizens, not the government. Where the police respect the people. Where technology defends democracy. Where culture promotes our national identity.
- We rallied an international coalition to support our fight. Our voice has been heard at the UN Security Council, the European Parliament, and all across the world. That's why I feel like I am among friends today.
- We rallied for freedom in Ukraine. Our country was used by the Kremlin to attack neighboring Ukraine. We united in the anti-war movement. Fearless partisans sabotaged railways to stop Russian troops. Our volunteers fight alongside Ukrainians.
- We already achieved a lot. As Veronika said, unity is key. We preserved it.
Our civil society is rebuilding from ashes. Independent media reopen from abroad after being forced out of the country. Human rights defenders help political prisoners.
Belarusians realized that their fate is in their hands, and no one would make changes for them. We have developed immunity against dictatorship. It's our duty to make sure it doesn't repeat.
You can make a difference too. So I invite you: join our rally against tyranny and oppression.
- There are a lot of journalists in this room. You can help us advance the real story of freedom. Our rally grows when you cover it. Help us to keep Belarus on the agenda.
- There are a lot of tech people here. Provide us with tools to fight censorship – from VPNs to blockchain. Our rally in 2020 was empowered by social media. It's hard to imagine our protest without Telegram.
- There are a lot of activists today. You have the power to turn “deep concerns” into concrete actions. We need strong advocates around the world.
- There are entrepreneurs here. Donate to independent initiatives and organizations, helping us to launch the rehabilitation program for children of political prisoners.
Thousands of kids are waiting for their parents to come home. Thousands of families are separated against their will. I still don’t know how to explain to my kids that their dad was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
It is up to all of us to bring our rally to its final and win. Our kids deserve to have a childhood without fear, prisons, and war. So that they can also hold the next rally. Our next will not be against tyranny, but for a bright future.
Start your own rally for Belarus. In your city. In your university. In your company. Your rallies will give us energy to continue ours.
In 2020, Belarusians lit up the fire of hope for a democratic future. Since then, we keep the flames burning, and someday it will become a big fire
During the mass demonstrations we used to wave our phones and create a forest of light to show how many of us are there. Let's recreate this now. Turn your lights on, waive with us and we keep the fires burning… Long Live Belarus!”
