Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya at Villa Decius 05.06.2023
The meeting with a leader democratic Belarus.
I believe that nothing is lost for us Belarusians. Like Mickiewicz, in exile we have only learned to value Belarus even more. I have no doubt that Belarus will be free and democratic again, and we will return to our country. - with these words, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus, began her speech at Villa Decius.
On 4 June, during the event CULTURE IN EXILE, we had the honour of hosting at Villa Decius Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus, who gave a speech entitled 'The Perspective of a Free Belarus' during a meeting attended by representatives of the City of Krakow and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of cultural institutions in Krakow, as well as the Belarusian diaspora and Krakow residents. Svitlana Tsichanouska was welcomed by Arkady Rzegocki, Head of Foreign Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and Dominika Kasprowicz, Director of the Villa Decius Institute for Culture.
In the evening, the Belarusian opposition leader also took part in a solidarity action with political prisoners in Belarus.
Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of democratic Belarus, was a candidate for president of Belarus in the 2020 presidential election rigged by the authorities. Until 2020 Tsikhanouskaya was an English teacher and interpreter. She is married to pro-democracy activist Sergei Tikhanovsky, who was arrested in May 2020. After her husband's arrest on 29 May, Tsikhanouskaya announced her intention to run in his place. In August 2022, she announced her intention to establish an interim government of Belarus under her leadership. In January 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus recognised Svetlana Tikhanouska's structures as an extremist grouping.In March 2023, a Belarusian court sentenced Tikhanouska in absentia to 15 years in prison.
On 4 June, during the event CULTURE IN EXILE, we had the honour of hosting at Villa Decius Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus, who gave a speech entitled 'The Perspective of a Free Belarus' during a meeting attended by representatives of the City of Krakow and the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and representatives of cultural institutions in Krakow, as well as the Belarusian diaspora and Krakow residents. Svitlana Tsichanouska was welcomed by Arkady Rzegocki, Head of Foreign Service, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland and Dominika Kasprowicz, Director of the Villa Decius Institute for Culture.
In the evening, the Belarusian opposition leader also took part in a solidarity action with political prisoners in Belarus.
Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of democratic Belarus, was a candidate for president of Belarus in the 2020 presidential election rigged by the authorities. Until 2020 Tsikhanouskaya was an English teacher and interpreter. She is married to pro-democracy activist Sergei Tikhanovsky, who was arrested in May 2020. After her husband's arrest on 29 May, Tsikhanouskaya announced her intention to run in his place. In August 2022, she announced her intention to establish an interim government of Belarus under her leadership. In January 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus recognised Svetlana Tikhanouska's structures as an extremist grouping.In March 2023, a Belarusian court sentenced Tikhanouska in absentia to 15 years in prison.
Speech by Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya
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