On October 29, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Estonia’s Minister of Culture, Heidy Purga, in Tallinn. They discussed Belarusian–Estonian cultural cooperation, support for Belarusian artists and cultural figures, literary translations, Belarusians’ integration in Estonia, and joint initiatives in culture and sports.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Estonia for its consistent support for Belarusian culture and exiled artists. She called for ensuring that Belarusian artists, writers, musicians, and other cultural figures can continue their work, represent Belarusian culture internationally, and find new opportunities for creative work.
In addition, Minister Purga and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed:
- the role of culture in preserving Belarusian national identity. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the Belarusian language, literature, and arts continue to play an important role in preserving national identity and resisting Russification;
- literary translation as an area of cooperation. The sides discussed support for translating Belarusian works into Estonian and Estonian literature into Belarusian. Such projects would help readers in both countries learn more about each other’s culture, history, and literary heritage. Heidy Purga expressed her willingness to consider supporting translation projects through the Integration Foundation and Estonia’s cultural foundations;
- expanding support for Belarusian cultural initiatives. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for exploring ways to support Belarusian writers, filmmakers, musicians, and cultural organizations, including through grant programs. The parties acknowledged that Estonia is home to the registered Belarusian Council for Culture, as well as other Belarusian initiatives that would benefit from additional support;
- opportunities for Belarusian musicians, performers, and creative groups to participate in Estonian festivals, cultural events, and joint projects. Such cooperation would help increase the visibility of Belarusian culture in Estonia and build ties between the creative communities of the two countries;
- the integration of Belarusians in Estonia. Ms. Purga and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed the activities of the Belarusian community, opportunities for its members to participate in Estonian society, and the challenges Belarusians face when learning Estonian, including the shortage of places in language courses.
Since Estonia’s Ministry of Culture is also responsible for sports, the meeting covered opportunities for cooperation in this area, including a possible charity soccer match or tournament involving Belarusian and Estonian participants.
The parties also addressed the participation of Belarusian athletes in international competitions, agreeing that an individual approach is needed that distinguishes independent Belarusian athletes from those who represent the Lukashenka regime and support Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Following the meeting, Heidy Purga and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the Night of the Executed Poets event in Tallinn to commemorate Belarusian writers, poets, scholars, and other intellectuals murdered by Stalin’s regime on the night of October 29–30, 1937. During the event, Minister Purga read in Estonian the poem “I Don’t Want Much…” by executed Belarusian poet Yurka Lyavonny.
