The Belarusian leader attended the LAMPA Festival in Cēsis, Latvia, where she participated in panel discussions on Belarus’ place in the Baltic region, “Belarus – One of the Countries in the Baltic Sea Region?” and “The Baltic States and the Fourth Sister”.
Here are the key points Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made during the discussions:
📌 “Belarusians are the forgotten Europeans. Belarus has always been part of Europe. Europe is our past and our future. No regime, propaganda, or Russian occupation could erase our European identity”.
📌 “Democracy, prosperity, the rule of law, human rights, and cultural diversity are what we admire in the Baltic countries, and what we strive for in our struggle. We are fortunate to be your neighbors”.
📌 “Belarus must be part of the European Union. This may seem like a distant goal. But on this path, there could be an intermediate goal – integration into the North–Baltic community”.
📌 “Our northern neighbors can be role models for Belarus. We have more in common than it seems. We want to learn, and we have something to share. Through culture, academic exchanges, and civil cooperation, this process can be smoother and faster.”
📌 “I am confident: Belarus will become free and democratic. This is the future we dream of. The future we fight for every day. A future without tyranny and repression, a future of cooperation instead of confrontation”.
