In New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at the annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting. CGI brings together political leaders, businesses, philanthropic foundations, and civil society around concrete initiatives to address global challenges.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya took part in the discussion “Europe at a Turning Point: Strengthening Security, Solidarity, and Trust”, which focused on European security, support for Ukraine, and joint action by democratic countries.
When discussing Belarusians’ preparations for democratic change amid ongoing repression in the country, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that, instead of waiting for change, the democratic forces should lay the groundwork now by developing concepts for future institutions, reforms, and transition mechanisms, and preparing people for the transition.
“Dictatorships can seem eternal — until they suddenly fall. What we have to do is not predict the exact date of change but make sure Belarus is ready for it”, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya noted.
A separate part of the discussion focused on the role of women in democratic change. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya recalled that in 2020, Belarusian women managed to unite quickly and take on leadership roles amid a political crisis. She added that women’s participation helps bring overlooked issues into political decision-making, including the impact of repression on political prisoners’ families and children, people’s everyday lives, and the practical needs of society during the country’s recovery.
“Women in our movement have shown incredible courage. Mothers, teachers, and entrepreneurs took on roles no one had prepared them for — and became leaders”, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized.
