Uladzimir Arlou: “Freedom day must be main state holiday”

The Belarusian society celebrate 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic on 25 March. Famous Belarusian writer Uladzimir Arlou thinks such important for the country event must be celebrated on state level.

As the writer said in the interview to the Charter’97 press center, “25 March is the most important holiday for our country. If the today’s authorities had been really Belarusian, not strange, Freedom Day would have been the main state holiday and celebrated officially, as our neighbours do.”

In Uladzimir Arlou’s view, the holiday could be celebrated in different ways: out-of-door events and family celebration.

“I’m going to celebrate the holiday, of course. But, unfortunately, we don’t live in a free country, so it’s my duty to participate in the street rally, doesn’t matter will the authorities allow it or won’t,” the writer stressed.

He also reminded his student life in the Soviet time. “Belarusians have made great progress since that time. We, students of history faculty, didn’t know anything about this event in 1970ies, but now this holiday is known to the majority of Belarusians. Let it be an additional workday for somebody, when he needs to wear uniform, but al the same, they understand subconsciously it is the main Belarusian holiday.”

By the 90th anniversary of the BNR the writer has prepared for Belarusians his answer to the question what the proclamation of the Belarusian National Republic means for him. According to Uladzimir Arlou, a film, written by him and dedicated to the BNR proclamation will be presented in Minsk ahead of 25 March.

The best representatives of the Belarusian intelligentsia declared the formation of the Belarusian National Republic on 25 March, 1918. A new independent state appeared on the world map. This event was erased from the history of the country in the soviet time. It is hushed up in today’s Belarus, too.