In an interview with Poland’s Kanal Zero, the Belarusian leader spoke on how, over time, many Belarusians have come to care more about their identity. She also shared her past attitude towards the national white-red-white flag.
📌 “We are trying to tell the world what Belarus is and who Belarusians are. For a long time, our country was viewed as some kind of satellite of Russia. Now we are striving to make the world rediscover Belarus. We are a separate country with our own culture and language, with our own identity. We want to live separately from Russia”.
📌 “I am officially welcomed by world leaders. This means that they recognize not me personally, but the right of Belarusians to self-determination and their ability to choose their future”.
📌 “Belarusians are now proud of being Belarusians. And not just Belarusians, but Belarusians with a capital B. We are getting to know and support each other. Everyone now understands the importance of national identity and pays great attention to it. The Belarusian language is starting to develop and strengthen. People are becoming more aware of our national symbols”.
📌 “When I was asked about the national symbols in interviews in 2020, I couldn’t answer questions about the historical white-red-white flag because I had lived all my life with the Soviet red-green flag. I never paid attention to it. But then everything took on new meanings. I began to understand its significance and blamed myself for living for so many years without noticing what was going on in my country. Now this responsibility lies on each of us. This is what makes us a nation and helps us move forward and continue to fight”.
