25 May, 2024
Stockholm Conference on Belarus, 21-22 May 2024
On 21-22 May, SCEEUS in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held a high-level conference on Belarus to strengthen dialogue with Belarusian democratic forces in exile. 21 May marks the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus.
Welcoming around 150 participants from over 20 different countries, the conference addressed Belarus' place in Europe, the building blocks of a thriving economy, democracy, inclusivity, youth, media, culture, national identity and, of course, the dire situation under the current political repression, not least for the many political prisoners in the country. These much-needed conversations provided much food for thought, and we look forward to contributing to keeping Belarus high on the European agenda.
Ahead of the conference, the Swedish Government Offices also issued a press release, which can be read here.
Below are links to ten guest commentaries on Belarus published by SCEEUS ahead of the conference.
- Avoiding Misplaced Fatalism: What Explains Belarusian Scepticism of European Integration? by Artsiom Shraibman
- 2024 Parliamentary Elections in Belarus: Ending the Democratic Illusion and Formalizing Personalized Authoritarianism by Sofie Bedford
- What Is Wrong With the West’s Belarus Policy? by Ryhor Astapenia
- Belarusian Civil Society Inside and Outside of the Country by Tatsiana Chulitskaya
- Ukraine-Belarus Relations in the Shadow of War by Pavlo Rad & Iaroslav Chornogor
- The ICT Sector in Belarus: From Growth to Contraction by Anastasiya Luzgina
- The Union State: Belarus’ Increasing Dependence on Russia and the Risk of Sovereignty Erosion, 2020-2023 by Roza Turarbekava
- The Phenomenon of Belarus: How to Build a Better Future by Siarhei Budkin
- Culture as a Battlefield: Belarus’s Struggle Over Culture and Identity by Tatsiana Astrouskaya
- It Is High Time for the West to Think About Belarus by Victoria Leukavets
See also poet Valzhyna Mort’s personal reflection “In lieu of an audience-friendly poem about violence”, written exclusively for the conference and performed during the Belarusian Cultural Evening “my future, an empty seat” on May 21st.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Leader of Belarusian democratic forces. Photo: Stina Gullander/Government offices
Johan Forssell, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade. Photo: SCEEUS