Day of Freedom’s start in Warsaw

Belarusians held a procession and a rally on March 23 in Warsaw.

The action dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic was held in Warsaw and gathered more than 60 participants.

The demonstrators walked through Warsaw’s center from Three Crosses Square via the main tourist street Nowy Swiat. During the procession, they were shouting “To your and our freedom!”, “Long Live Belarus!” and giving leaflets containing information about the political situation in Belarus to passers-by. The rally drew attention of Warsaw residents and tourists; dozens of flags - white-red-white, EU’s and Poland’s, could be seen in the crowd. Passers-by took pictures and asked questions about the situation in Belarus.

The manifestation continued on Castle Square where the rally was held. Coordinator of European Belarus and director of the Belarusian House in Warsaw Dzmitry Barodka, leader of the Conservative Christian party of the Belarusian People’s Front Zianon Pazniak and editor-in-chief of charter97.org Natallia Radzina spoke the rally.

In his speech, Dzmitry Barodka urged Belarusians to “continue the work of our ancestors.”

“For 95 years ago our great Belarusian ancestors laid the foundation of the Belarusian independence. They did it because they had faith in Belarus, they had faith in our future. We are their future. That is why we should continue the work that they started, and build our home called Belarus,” he said.

Leader of the Conservative Christian party of the Belarusian People’s Front Zianon Pazniak urged Belarusians to unite around the national idea.

“The Day of Freedom is important for Belarusians because this date has become a sacred symbol of our nation. This symbol is consolidating, no matter what our political views may be. Many researchers name lots of reasons as to why the Belarusian People’s Republic didn’t last at those times. I don’t emphasize these objective reasons, but what is crucial is the deed that made it possible to declare the independence of the Belarusian People’s Republic, to open the door to the future. Because had the Belarusian People’s Republic not been declared, we would not be independent today. It was the first step, it was a program for the future fight, and 73 years later it was fulfilled. Today there is an independent state, independent to a certain extent, no matter what powers rule there. It is important to focus on the positive aspects, on the positive role that March 25 has played in history.

There are several key factors that lead to the victory. First of all, there should be a national idea that would consolidate the entire society. There was such an idea. Second of all, there should be an organization that would fulfill the national idea. There was such an organization – the Belarusian Socialist Gramada, other institutions that worked together around the idea. The third key factor is the international solidarity, a wave of struggle of different nations for one idea.

Why is it so hard today? Why have all our attempts to get rid of this idiot schizophrenic regime failed during nearly 20 years, although we are much stronger, politically and in terms of our knowledge of history? Because we were left alone. That process, that common wave is over. All countries have moved forward. They are members of the European Union today. Our struggle is very time-consuming, but eventually it will result in victory. We should be patient, we should stay strong and remember the people who for 95 years ago in very hard conditions raised this flag, and it was the flag of victory. This is the basis for us to consolidate around. No matter what political arguments we have, there is a situation when we all should be together. The Day of Freedom consolidates everyone. And let it be celebration of our consolidation,” Zianon Pazniak said.

Natallia Radzina called upon Belarusians abroad to work to make changes in Belarus a near future.

”It hurts me not to be able to celebrate the Day of Freedom in Belarus, where I celebrated it nearly all my life, but to have to be abroad on this day. But in my thoughts, today I’m in Belarus, where people continue their heroic struggle for freedom. We had to leave our motherland because of political repressions, and today I call upon all of you to ask yourselves on simple question: What can I do for Belarus? Each of you can do a lot to make our country free and democratic sooner. Today we shouldn’t just live abroad, we should work for changes and to be able to get back to Belarus. I believe that our country will take its place in the family of free nations of Europe, and that we will celebrate the Day of Freedom all together in our motherland. Long Live Belarus!”, Natallia Radzina said,

The Belarusian music band Miatlitsa played in Castle Square in the end of the meeting, and everyone could taste Belarusian national dishes – potato pancakes and krupnik, a traditional sweet alcoholic drink.

The action was attended by former chief of the headquarters of presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov and coordinator of European Belarus Uladzimir Kobiets; former political prisoner and coordinator of European Belarus Aliaksandar Atroshchankau and his family; former political prisoner Dzmitry Drozd; co-director of the Belarusian House in Warsaw Ales Zarembiuk; deputy chairperson of the Union for Democracy in Belarus Igor Koktysh; daughter of coordinator of European Belarus and former political prisoner Dzmitry Bandarenka Yulia and others.

The manifestation was organized by the civil campaign European Belarus and the Belarusian House in Warsaw.