Leaders of 20 prominent Armenian NGOs and initiatives, including members of the expert community, human rights defenders, and educational initiatives, met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Yerevan.
Participants in the meeting discussed how to address cases in which the Lukashenka regime abuses international search mechanisms against Belarusians. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that resolving this issue would help make Armenia a safe hub for Belarusian civil society and enable meetings and events involving Belarusians to be held there.
They also discussed cooperation between educational and cultural initiatives, inviting Belarusian NGOs to Armenia, joint projects with Belarusian media organizations, as well as training, capacity-building, and knowledge exchange among experts. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that cooperation with Armenian civil society is essential for maintaining and strengthening friendly relations between the two nations, despite the current tense context.
Participants also reviewed the outcomes of the visit to Armenia, the political situation in the region and in Belarus, and the tense reaction from the regime in Minsk.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The events of recent days have demonstrated that Armenia is an integral part of Europe. I dream of the day when Belarus will host such a number of European and global leaders. This is about independence, agency, and recognition.
I would like our countries to no longer live in the shadow of empires but to become part of the European family of nations. I would like leaders in our countries to be elected through free elections — and in this regard, I envy Armenia. I would like our peoples to be friends, to trade, and to support one another, as they once did. And no Lukashenka will be able to destroy this.
There is still much work ahead. Much struggle. But I am confident that together, we will achieve freedom”.
The event was organized by the Democracy Development Foundation of Armenia and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
