On January 26, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, met with representatives of the Vilnius City Council and the Mayor’s Office. The meeting took place amid the City Council’s consideration of amendments to the school admission rules, which could restrict access for children of foreign nationals with temporary and permanent residence permits to schools with a non-Lithuanian language of instruction.
On the Lithuanian side, the meeting was attended by:
- Raminta Keršytė, member of the Committee on Culture and Tourism;
- Vytautas Vaitiekūnas, Chair of the Committee on Education;
- Vygintas Gasparavičius, Chair of the Economic and Financial Committee of the Vilnius City Council;
- Vykintas Vaitkevičius, Advisor on International Affairs to the Mayor of Vilnius.
The discussion centered around the preservation of the Francysk Skaryna Belarusian Gymnasium. Mr. Kuchynski emphasized that this is about safeguarding the Belarusian language, culture, and identity. Representatives of the municipality were handed a letter from parents of Belarusian children, signed by more than 200 people, including members of the intelligentsia, civil society activists, and politicians. In addition, he delivered a letter on behalf of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya calling for the preservation and development of the Belarusian educational and cultural presence in Vilnius, including the continued operation of the Francysk Skaryna Belarusian Gymnasium and the activities of the Belarusian Community and Culture Center in Vilnius.
The Lithuanian side highlighted that it understands the importance of Belarusian culture and language, especially in the context of countering the “Russian world”, and underscored the importance of integrating Belarusians into Lithuanian society, including through education.
As a result of the meeting, the sides agreed to seek a solution that would:
- preserve the operation of the Belarusian Gymnasium;
- ensure continued admission of new students;
- support the Belarusian language and culture in Lithuania.
In addition, the parties discussed the situation around the Belarusian Community and Culture Center in Vilnius, which is an important institution for cultural, educational, and civic life for Belarusians in Lithuania. Mr. Kuchynski informed the Lithuanian side about its initiatives: the Belarusian School; educational projects (such as Lithuanian language courses and open lectures on various topics); museum and library activities; and work with children and adults. He emphasized their importance and called for the continuation of this work and the city’s support.
Dzianis Kuchynski: “We asked to continue supporting this work as an important part of the Belarusian–Lithuanian partnership. With the help of the Association of Belarusian Parents in Lithuania, we provided the necessary information to municipal representatives. Many thanks to the parents for their principled and responsible stance – it is of key importance. The Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya continues systematic work to protect the rights of Belarusians in Lithuania and supports the initiatives of the parent community, civil society organizations, and partners. We delivered our messages – and they were heard”.
