On Mother Language Day, February 21, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the Representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for National Revival, Alina Koushyk, hosted Belarusian cultural figures residing in Lithuania at Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in Vilnius. The participants of the meeting included writers, artists, architects, directors, actors, and representatives of other cultural spheres.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked those present for their activities aimed at promoting the Belarusian language and noted that preserving the Belarusian identity is a priority.
“The regime is trying to suffocate every initiative that keeps showing up in the country and sees any activity or art as a threat to its existence. Everything that manifests the Belarusian identity is alien and hostile to it. Perhaps never before in our history has our national identity been as threatened as it is now. I believe that a strong Belarusian identity is the best antidote to the ‘Russian world’”.
During the meeting, the participants discussed current issues facing Belarusians in Lithuania, as well as talked about opportunities for cooperation in the field of culture and possible joint events and activities.
Cultural figures also shared with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya some problems in the cultural sphere and mentioned the need for a support program for Belarusian events. Artists expressed a wish to establish connections with Lithuanian NGOs to publicly showcase Belarusian culture. The conversation also emphasized the importance of supporting cultural analysis, criticism, and academic research.
