Dear Belarusians, Today, we mark 35 years since the restoration of Belarus’s independence. Many generations of Belarusians dreamed of having their own state. They fought for it, were imprisoned, and went into exile. And our generation was the first to have the chance to live in an independent country of our own. Perhaps that is […]

Dear President Zelenskyy, Dear Ukrainians, Congratulations on Independence Day! You pay a high price for your independence every single day. Through your example, you show the world what courage means. And you give hope to other nations that are also fighting for freedom. Three months ago, I was in Kyiv and saw your strength firsthand. […]

On August 22, a farewell ceremony was held in Warsaw for prominent Belarusian civic and political figure and 2006 presidential candidate Aliaksandr Milinkievič. Hundreds of Belarusians, diplomats, and representatives of the Polish government attended the service and memorial events. The ceremony and service took place at the Archcathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist. During […]

MEETING WITH LITHUANIA’S ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY CHANCELLOR  Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office Director in Vilnius, Dzianis Kuchynski, and Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, met with the Chancellor of the Ministry of Environment of Lithuania, Vladislav Kondratovič. They discussed the safety of the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, the impact of the recent review of areas […]

Developments in Belarus Foreign student statistics In July, Belarusian Education Minister A. Ivanets and Deputy Prime Minister Natallia Piatkevich repeatedly stated that 37,000 foreign students are studying in the country and that their number has increased by 10,000 over the past four years. They also claimed that one in three foreign students, or 12,300, are […]

A meeting with the Chancellor of the Ministry of Environment and former Minister of the Interior of Lithuania, Vladislav Kondratovič, took place at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor and Director of the Vilnius Office, Dzianis Kuchynski, and Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, joined the meeting.  The parties discussed issues […]

The date and location of the farewell ceremony for Aliaksandr Milinkievič have been announced. He was a prominent civic and political figure, the sole presidential candidate of the united democratic opposition in the 2006 election, a recipient of the Sakharov Prize, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Non-Staff Advisor on Promoting Belarus’s European Choice. Mr. Milinkievič passed away […]

A closed briefing, “Wanted by the Dictator: The Red Notice State”, was held at the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic. The event focused on the Lukashenka regime’s use of international wanted-person mechanisms to carry out transnational repression against Belarusians. The event was opened by Director of the Prague Office, Kryścina Šyjanok, […]

Belarusians marked the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests,  New Belarus Conference was held in Warsaw on 7–9 August, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s conducted multiple international  meetings.  WHAT’S GOING ON? Belarusians have marked the sixth anniversary of the 2020 elections and protests. On 9 August, rallies took place in Vilnius, Warsaw, and other cities, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed […]

SIMPLIFIED PASSPORT AND MIGRATION PROCEDURES FOR BELARUSIANS IN SWEDEN The Swedish Migration Agency has updated its legal position regarding Belarusians who cannot safely return to Belarus to obtain a new passport. The changes allow them, in certain cases, to obtain an alien’s passport and apply for or extend a residence permit without a valid Belarusian […]

Executive summary. In the first half of 2026, Russia continued to expand its ‘soft power’ infrastructure in Belarus: its network of diplomatic missions, institutions of the Russkiy Mir Foundation and affiliated organisations. The most active areas were the promotion of Russian ideological discourse, work with young people, and influence over historical memory. The activities of […]

The International Department of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office continues its systematic work on the issue of expired Belarusian passports. Diplomatic Advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Dzianis Kuchynski, explains how negotiations with governments of different countries are conducted and what results have already been achieved. The work is being carried out in two directions: European-wide. Thanks to Luxembourg […]

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, held a meeting with Poland’s Foreign Minister’s Plenipotentiary for Cooperation with the Democratic Forces of Belarus, Adam Hałaciński, and Deputy Director of the Eastern Department at Poland’s MFA, Grzegorz Poznański. The meeting focused on key areas of strategic cooperation between Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Sviatlana Tsihanouskaya’s Office, […]

The Migration Agency of Sweden has updated its legal position regarding Belarusian citizens’ inability to renew their national passport. It now recognizes that Belarusians returning to Belarus to renew their passports may face politically motivated persecution, including detention. This decision is the result of long-term, systematic work by the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the People’s […]

On August 10, Prague hosted the discussion “1968–1989, 2020–?: A Czech Lesson for Belarus”, marking the sixth anniversary of the protests against dictatorship and violence in Belarus. The event brought together around 100 people, including Czech representatives, members of the diplomatic corps, NGOs, and civil society. The event was organized by the Office of Belarus […]

On the sixth anniversary of the 2020 protests, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with special envoys, ambassadors, and diplomats working on Belarus. The meeting was attended by Adam Hałaciński (Poland), Grete Sillasen (Denmark), Cody Thompson (US), Bjørn Erik Brustad (Norway), Patrik Svensson (Sweden), Gunta Pastore (Latvia), Karmen Laus (Estonia), Jaana Teckenberg (Finland), Asta Andrijauskienė (Lithuania), and Iaroslav […]

NEW BELARUS CONFERENCE The annual New Belarus Conference took place in Warsaw on August 7–9, bringing together around 300 participants, including ordinary Belarusians, representatives of the democratic forces, politicians, and international partners. On August 7, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at three side events. On August 8, she delivered a welcome speech, participated in panel discussions, and […]

On August 9, Belarusians around the world held rallies and events to mark the day when peaceful protests against the dictatorship began six years ago. On this occasion, heads of state, government ministers, and leading politicians from around the world expressed their support for the Belarusian people. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office has compiled a list of […]

At the closing of the New Belarus Conference, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed everyone who contributed to preparing and holding the event: participants, speakers, the organizing team, volunteers, media, the democratic forces, civil society, and international partners. She offered special thanks to her Ukrainian allies who took part in the discussion on Ukraine, foreign guests and partners […]

The New Belarus Conference concluded in Warsaw on August 9. Over two days, participants discussed the strategy of the democratic forces, Belarus–Ukraine cooperation, Belarus’s European future, support for Belarusians inside and outside the country, culture, education, the economy, transnational repression, and preparations for future change. The discussions brought together political leaders, including those who were […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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’ […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]