Assembly of NGOs: Our mission is to defend civilised choice of Belarus

An extended round-table discussion “Civil Society Protecting Civilisational and Cultural Identity of Belarus” was held in Minsk.

The event was organised by the Assembly of NGOs on September 18 to express the position of the organisation and define the mission of the independent community of Belarus in the situation posing a threat to the country's future.

Linguists and activists Vintsuk Viachorka, Piotr Sadouski and Alena Anisim, human rights defender Ales Bialiatski took part in the discussion. Tamara Matskevich spoke about education and values of the generation. Valer Bulhakau analysed the activity of cultural NGOs. Iryn Laurouskaya read a report on the Belarusian identity and urban landscape. Aleh Khamenka focused on a value-related approach to the problems of the national security protection.

The brightest events of the campaign “Let's do it better” were presented during the meeting.

The organisers note that the protection of the Belarusian idea and identity became a priority for Belarusian NGOs, but we cannot say they same about the official authorities.

Representatives of the working group of the Assembly of NGOs and public figures say it would be silly to hope for the government's help in defending Belarus's independence. Volunteer initiatives based on democratic and national values are the only organisations able to take responsibility and solve the situation in a crisis.

The participants of the discussion called on all NGOs and initiatives to adopt the joint mission “Protect your own” for the nearest years.

The statement adopted at the discussion says that the mission should focus on the “need to protect the national and cultural identity (language, culture, historical memmory) of the people of Belarus and the feeling of their historical belonging”. The Belarusian public sector should “take responsibility for the self-organisation of society on the level of local communities, professional groups and groups of interests”.

Siarhei Matskevich, the chairman of the working group of the Assembly of NGOs, summarised the results of the discussion: “The Assembly of NGOs calls on all activists of Belarusian civil society to join the common mission 'Protect your own', expand their activities in line with the mission to preserve the independence and restore freedom of the country.”