Minsk
Belarus schools: language of peasants or programmers?
According to its constitution Belarus has two state languages - Belarusian and Russian. Authoritarian president Alexander Lukashenko has repeatedly emphasised the equality of both, but nationalist Belarusians view the state policy as 'russification'. The argument is being played out in the schools
minsk, school, multilingualism, language, society, politics, belarus
Ukraine, Belarus, Egypt...free the online activist in you
Ukraine’s ‘Day of Wrath’ against its president on 14 May has been organised online. Belarus’ internet is the only escape from regime propaganda. The Arab world reported its transitions online. Amidst these examples, Peter Ludlow, cyber rights activist and philosophy professor at Northwestern University in Illinois, emphasies that politics can be influenced in bottom-up solutions. Interview
minsk, protest, kiev, internet, activism, ukraine, viktor yanukovych
Alice in Belarus (Wonderland): politician tries to enter local elections
This is the story of Olga Karatch, a Belarusian dissident and 'Nash Dom' human rights activist, and her participation in local elections in Belarus. Those were in May 2010, but Olga’s testimony has lost none of its relevance. Unfortunately, it's all too synonymous with the state of Belarusian politics as a whole, and with elections looming on 19 December
minsk, censorship, human rights, media, politics, central and eastern europe, elections
Berlin wall: version Vilnius 2009
Nostalgic? Nearly two decades after ‘die Wende’, as the Germans call it, the Lithuanian capital has become the EU capital of culture. In 2009 though, it is still fighting its old demons. Russian symbols have been erased without mercy. A cold soviet wind blows through the Baltic republic with regards to energy. Belarusian students find exile in a special university four hours from Minsk. The domestic brain drain is ongoing. Three journalists plus one photographer and one videomaker (see below) hunt the clash of cultures in our monthly cities stop: 'EU Debate on the ground'
- Read the special edition Berlin wall: version Vilnius 2009
- Energy in Lithuania: tick A, B or C for 'nuclear', 'renewable' or 'both'
- Soviet nostalgia: Russian drink, bunker parties and film in Vilnius
- 15.5% unemployment, diaspora: Lithuanians try luck elsewhere
- Visit to the EHU: Belarusian elite university exiled in Vilnius
Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova: ‘Russian murders shocking, but hardly a surprise’
As we mourn our lost Russian colleagues, Belarusians do not forget our own Baburovas, Politkovskayas and Klebnikovs. We remember why they perished. Expresso
minsk, freedom of opinion, journalist, newspaper, presse, assassination, society
Choose a language - Belarusian or Russian
In Belarus opinions do not only differ on the domineering president Lukaschenko, who has announced a general election for 28 September
minsk, lenguas, languages, politics, russian federation, elections, belarus
Iryna Vidanava: ‘Belarusians abroad can protest via the internet’
The thirty-year-old journalist from Minsk saw her magazine closed down by the regime. We talk press freedom, the political engagement of young Belarusians and elections on 28 September
minsk, iryna vidanava, regime, brunch, best of cafebabel.com, elections, belarus
Minsk: the tidy road to regime perfection
Neat, elegant, so clean that you want to go barefoot – that is how the Lukashenko regime likes to present the capital of Belarus - the one visible to tourists, that is
minsk, feature, world affairs, post-soviet states, non-eu countries, belarus, alexander lukashenko
The eastern punk Svieta Songako
Art is politics. The fourth and last chapter of our portraits of artists who are attempting to resist the ‘cultural Chernobyl’ in a Belarus that is in Alexander Lukashenko’s stranglehold
minsk, cd, central and eastern europe, music, non-eu countries, culture, belarus
Political choreographers: Alexandre and Natalia Furman
Art is politics: the third part of our series on portraits of artists attempting to resist the 'cultural Chernobyl’, which reigns in Belarus, a country asphyxiated by the authoritarian regime of president Alexander Lukashenko
minsk, dance, non-eu countries, culture, belarus, alexander lukashenko
Men creating men in Belarus
Art is politics - the second part in our series of profiles of artists trying to resist a ‘cultural Chernobyl’ in a Belarus stifled by president Aleksander Loukachenko
minsk, literature, communism, books, post-soviet states, culture, belarus
Belarus rocks
Art is politics: the first part of our series on portraits of artists who attempt to resist the 'cultural Chernobyl' which reigns in Belarus, a country asphyxiated by the authoritarian regime of president Alexander Lukashenko
minsk, music, non-eu countries, culture, belarus, alexander lukashenko
Free Theatre of Minsk: onstage resistance
The Belarusian independent theatre company uses black humour and underground performances to protest against 'Europe's last dictatorship'
minsk, paris, festivals, censorship, theatre, dance, post-soviet states
Yuri Khashchevatsky: 'Being Belarusian is fashionable these days'
Visionary film director Yuri Khashchevatsky, 60, is a principal figure of Belarusian dissent. He criticises ineffective opposition, and talks up the new role the Internet plays in the resistance
minsk, georgia, director, north korea, yury khashchavatski, cinema, interview
by
