August 11, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s closing speech at the New Belarus Conference 2026
Dear friends, The two days of the conference have flown by. I was very happy to share them with you. And now it is time to reflect on the key outcomes. Over these two days, we heard from political leaders — people who were behind bars only recently. We heard from representatives of the media […]
August 10, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the Dignity Day rally in Warsaw
On August 9, Belarusians marked Dignity Day in Warsaw, commemorating the 2020 protests in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the event, along with representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet and the Coordination Council, Ukraine’s Ambassador-at-Large (MFA) Iaroslav Chornogor, Polish public figure and journalist Adam Michnik, representatives of civil society, and the Belarusian diaspora in Warsaw. Addressing […]
August 10, 2026
August 9 rally in Vilnius
A rally marking the anniversary of the 2020 protests in Belarus was held in Vilnius. Belarusians and friends of Belarus gathered in Cathedral Square to remember the events of 2020 and remind everyone that Belarus and its people continue to choose freedom. After the rally, participants marched through the city center to the Embassy of […]
August 09, 2026
Women’s Breakfast with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took place in Warsaw
On August 9, ahead of Day Two of the New Belarus Conference, a Women’s Breakfast with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was held in Warsaw. The informal gathering brought together more than 50 Belarusian women and international partners, creating a space to strengthen community and solidarity and share experiences. The event brought together more than 50 participants from […]
August 09, 2026
New Belarus Conference: Day One summary
Day One of the New Belarus Conference took place in Warsaw on August 8. It brought together representatives of Belarus’s democratic forces, civil society, media, initiatives, diaspora, and international partners. Throughout the day, participants: discussed how the democratic forces can make use of new opportunities and maintain political momentum; discussed cooperation with Ukraine and Belarusians’ […]
August 09, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address to Belarusians on the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests
On the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addresses Belarusians with personal reflections on how we have changed over these years and what we all need to preserve within ourselves today. Watch the full speech on YouTube or read its full text below. “Six years is a very long time. In those years, […]
August 09, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the anniversary of the 2020 protests in Belarus
Six years ago, on August 9, 2020, Belarusians voted for democratic change, against brutal dictatorship and tyranny. Hundreds of thousands went to the streets to defend their choice. “We are a nation, not slaves” – Belarusians chanted across the country. We were so close to winning our country and our freedom. And the regime was […]
August 09, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s welcome speech at the New Belarus Conference 2026
Dear Belarusians, Welcome to the New Belarus Conference! Six years ago, something happened that changed our country — and each of us. That August, August 2020, still resonates with pain in me. Pain mixed with inspiration. On this day, six years ago, when I was leaving home to vote, as always, there were many officers […]
August 09, 2026
New Belarus Conference: Side events
Day One of the New Belarus Conference took place today in Warsaw, with a series of side events ahead of the main program, which begins tomorrow. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in three discussions throughout the day. Belarus’s Role in the Aggression Against Ukraine: Holding Lukashenka’s Senior Leadership Accountable Participants discussed the Lukashenka regime’s complicity in […]
August 04, 2026
Dzianis Kuchynski discussed issues faced by Belarusians with Lithuania’s Migration Department Director Indrė Gasparė
A meeting between the Director of the Vilnius Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Dzianis Kuchynski, and the Director of the Migration Department under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, Indrė Gasparė, took place at the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The parties discussed the current migration situation, humanitarian support for Belarusians fleeing repression, […]
August 04, 2026
Meeting with the Davoli Association of Political Prisoners, speech at the EDS Summer University, Sovereignty Declaration anniversary. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: July 27 – August 2
MEETING WITH THE DAVOLI ASSOCIATION OF FORMER BELARUSIAN POLITICAL PRISONERS On July 30, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with members of the DaVoli Association of Former Belarusian Political Prisoners in Warsaw. The parties discussed the challenges faced by former political prisoners and their families, as well as possible support, rehabilitation, and the protection of the rights of […]
August 04, 2026
July 2026: Highlights from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office
Parliamentary engagement was a major focus in July 2026. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office prioritized strengthening support for Belarus in international assemblies, launching new “For a Democratic Belarus” groups in parliaments, and advancing resolutions in support of Belarusians. At the same time, work continued on international accountability for the regime’s repression, expanding educational opportunities, and supporting civil […]
August 03, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the Mikita Melkaziorau Cup opening
On August 1, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the opening of the Mikita Melkaziorau Cup. She joined the tournament’s participants and guests to honor the journalist’s memory with a minute of silence before symbolically kicking off the competition with the tournament’s first kick. The opening ceremony was also attended by Pavel Latushka, Aliaksandr Ivulin, and representatives of […]
July 31, 2026
Sviatlana Tsihanouskaya spoke at the European Democrat Students’ Summer University 2026
On July 31, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at the European Democrat Students’ Summer University 2026. The event brought together young leaders, politicians, and experts from across Europe, including representatives of European youth political organizations, policy experts, and Polish politicians. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered a speech, stressing that the regime has remained in power only because of Russia’s […]
July 30, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the DaVoli Association of Former Belarusian Political Prisoners
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the DaVoli Association of Former Belarusian Political Prisoners in Warsaw. The parties discussed the challenges faced by former political prisoners and their families, as well as possible support, rehabilitation, and the protection of the rights of people who have endured political repression. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya answered the participants’ questions. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I […]
July 30, 2026
Anatoli Liabedzka met with Moldovan Parliament President Igor Grosu: “For a Democratic Belarus” Parliamentary Group to be officially launched in September
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation and Constitutional Reform, Anatoli Liabedzka, is on a visit to Chișinău. Ahead of the plenary session of the Parliament of Moldova, he met with President Igor Grosu. Igor Grosu conveyed his warmest regards to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, with whom he has long-standing professional and personal ties. The key outcome of […]
July 29, 2026
Pavel Tereshkovich’s address on the 36th anniversary of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Belarus
Pavel Tereshkovich’s: “On July 27, 1990, 229 members of the Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian SSR approved the Declaration of State Sovereignty. It became a major milestone in the chain of dramatic events that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and opened the way for our country’s independence. The USSR, established in 1922, […]
July 28, 2026
Overview of Belarusian education and science, new application cycle for the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Scholarship. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: July 20–27
STATEMENT ON THE MAZYR OIL REFINERY BEING SANCTIONED Following the inclusion of the Mazyr Oil Refinery in the EU’s 21st sanctions package, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya released a statement on why this was a consequence of the regime’s actions: “Until 2022, Ukraine was the refinery’s largest and most profitable market. Belarusian gasoline and diesel accounted for up […]
July 27, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s address on the anniversary of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Belarus
Sviatlana Tsihanouskaya: “On July 27, 1990, Belarus took a decisive step toward independence with the adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty. To some, this may sound like just another historical date from a textbook. But behind it were people who wanted Belarus to finally determine its own future. They wanted our country to have […]
July 27, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the inclusion of the Mazyr Oil Refinery in the EU’s 21st sanctions package
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The Mazyr Oil Refinery is a clear and painful example of how Lukashenka’s mistakes are destroying our economy and the well-being of Belarusians. Until 2022, Ukraine was the refinery’s largest and most profitable market. Belarusian gasoline and diesel accounted for up to 50% of the Ukrainian market. But Belarus’s involvement in the war […]
July 21, 2026
Aspen Security Forum, TUTAKA Festival, New Belarus Conference program announcement. Weekly updates from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office: July 13–19
PANEL DISCUSSION AT THE ASPEN SECURITY FORUM On July 16, during the Aspen Security Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the panel discussion “Continental Drift? Europe in Transition” alongside the Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Belén Martínez Carbonell; the Minister of Defense and Foreign Trade of Belgium, Theo Francken; and the Minister […]
July 21, 2026
Belarusian education and science under repression, militarization, and exile: Key trends and policy recommendations. April–June 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Education and Science, Pavel Tereshkovich, has prepared a policy paper for independent media, the leadership of the Belarusian democratic forces, political partners, and international donors. Executive Summary From April to June 2026, education and science in Belarus continued to develop under conditions of intensifying political control and repression. Key trends included […]
July 21, 2026
Applications open for the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Scholarship at Austria’s Management Center Innsbruck
Belarusians are invited to apply for the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Scholarship at the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI). The new intake is for students beginning their studies in fall 2027. The program is offered under the patronage of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and is intended for individuals engaged in activities that promote freedom, democracy, good governance, and the rule […]
July 16, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at a panel discussion at the Aspen Security Forum
During the Aspen Security Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the panel discussion “Continental Drift? Europe in Transition”. The Aspen Security Forum is one of the leading international platforms on national security and foreign policy, bringing together political leaders, government officials, representatives of international organisations, experts, and journalists each year to discuss key global challenges […]
July 16, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s statement on the regime’s attempts to erase Belarusian culture
“Belarusian culture has always been with us, sometimes in the most ordinary things. You notice traditional embroidery on someone’s shirt or hear a song you’ve known since childhood. In conversation, a word slips out that only Belarusians understand. That is how Belarusian culture lives around every corner. It is in Kupalle, in our favourite books, […]
July 15, 2026
Belarusian CSOs discussed support for political prisoners, civil society, and diaspora issues with the Austrian Foreign Ministry
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and representatives of Belarusian CSOs met with the Director for Eastern Europe at Austria’s Ministry for European and International Affairs, Thomas Mühlmann. The Belarusian organizations represented at the meeting included: the Belarusian Helsinki Committee; the Viasna Human Rights Centre; the Belarusian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society […]
July 14, 2026
Ukraine Takes the Initiative, Lukashenka Under Pressure, Tsikhanouskaya Meets European Leaders
BELARUS UPDATE June-July 2026 Recent developments in Ukraine have created a new dynamic for Belarus. Under pressure from Kyiv, Lukashenka has been forced to soften his rhetoric. The Belarusian democratic forces have launched a campaign to prevent Belarus from being dragged deeper into the war. The EU considers new sanctions against Minsk, while the United […]
July 14, 2026
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya supported the civic initiative to raise the historic white-red-white flag at the Grunwald Battlefield
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has sent letters to the Marshal of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Marcin Kuchciński, and the management of the Grunwald Battle Museum, asking them to consider raising the historic white-red-white Belarusian flag at the Grunwald Battlefield. In doing so, she expressed support for the civic initiative launched by Belarusians that has already gathered more than […]
July 14, 2026
Overview of developments in education and science: June 2026
June 2026 was marked by a further escalation of pressure on Belarus’s academic community, the continued militarization of school education, and new attempts to isolate Belarusian applicants from international education. At the same time, outside Belarus, work continued on the concept for reforming the country’s education system, international academic cooperation expanded, and expert discussions took […]