Her Story, Our Future
Belarus
Belarusian Women Making a Difference
On 15 May 2025, the French Institute in Prague hosted “Her Story, Our Future: Belarusian Women Making a Difference,” in Prague, Czech Republic, an evening commemorating the pivotal role of Belarusian women in shaping the country’s social and political landscape. The date marked the fifth anniversary of Sviatlana Cichanoŭskaja’s decision to run for president in Belarus after the detention of her husband by Lukashenko’s regime. The event aimed to attract attention to women’s leadership in resistance, promote Belarusian cultural expression, and provide a safe space for dialogue and solidarity among diasporic and international communities.
Objectives
- Highlight the critical role of women in Belarus’s civic and cultural resistance since 2020.
- Provide a platform for storytelling, artistic performance, and literature that reflects women’s lived experiences under authoritarianism.
- Strengthen Czech-Belarusian cultural and civil society ties.
- Foster dialogue around democracy, resilience, and identity in the face of repression.
- Encourage cultural diplomacy and policy thinking on how to support democratic movements in Eastern Europe.
Program Overview
The event opened with a welcome speech by the Head of the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic and a video address from Sviatlana Cichanoŭskaja. The speakers emphasized the significance of May 15 and the broader historical context of women’s leadership in Belarusian resistance. This solo theatrical performance combined movement, poetry, and multimedia storytelling to portray a composite of the real-life experiences of Belarusian women before and after the 2020 presidential elections. The performer, a Belarusian theatre artist now based in Europe, explored themes of fear, exile, motherhood, and political awakening. The performance was met with a standing ovation. It was an emotional performance about the life of Maryja Kaleśnikava, one of the female leaders of the Belarusian protests, during her imprisonment. The second half of the evening featured a moderated discussion with 4 Belarusian women leaders. This segment emphasized the importance of preserving memory, encouraging intergenerational dialogue, and recognizing emotional labor and vulnerability as part of political resistance.
Highlights and Notable Ideas
- The power of narrative and performance to bridge emotional and political divides was central to the evening. Several audience members noted that the format helped them connect with the Belarusian struggle on a personal level.
- The focus on women’s agency—beyond victimhood—was particularly well received. Discussions emphasized that Belarusian women are not just surviving but actively shaping cultural and political alternatives.
- The cross-border solidarity between the Belarusian and international communities was reinforced throughout the evening. Czech and international participants voiced their support and explored parallels between Czech history and contemporary Belarus.
- The event served as a networking opportunity for the international community, artists, and activists in exile, many of whom expressed interest in future collaborations and follow-up initiatives.
This event provided an atmosphere of empathy, resilience, and hope, reinforcing the importance of cultural programming as both political and humanitarian practice. It also underscored that cultural resistance is a vital part of democratic movements, especially when institutional avenues are blocked. By creating space for performance and storytelling, organizers facilitated healing, dialogue, and coalition-building across borders.
Ein Angebot der
Informationen
Service
Weitere Angebote
Rechte der Frauen