Panel 4
Beyond Minsk: Current civic engagement in the regions
About Panel 4
The current political crisis in Belarus has either unleashed or accelerated various developments whose present form could not have been predicted even just a few years ago. The role of women in Belarusian society is intensifying significantly and talked about in new ways. Strikes and their legitimacy and usefulness have also become an important topic.
The increased desire for civic engagement has also become a major development. Whenever the state uses its power in a way that many people feel does not fulfil its duties, or when it is used even against its citizens, an impressive number of Belarusians appear willing to become involved and act at their own initiative.
This is becoming particularly apparent in the regional areas of Belarus. Whereas earlier one would find a relatively active civil society mainly in Minsk, we now see this emerging across the entire country, from provincial capitals all the way to small towns and villages. The notion of the “decentralised” is becoming a model for a “new” Belarus – and it seems quite likely that this trend will continue to grow, even with the current protests.
This Panel will present and discuss the various forms of civic engagement in the regions, and how the current situation has generated a new understanding of this phenomenon. A very diverse array of situations will be examined: we will talk about ambitious projects for local self-governance, initiatives promoting the development of rural areas, and the new potential for mobilisation by independent unions in Belarus’ regions.
About Panel 4
The current political crisis in Belarus has either unleashed or accelerated various developments whose present form could not have been predicted even just a few years ago. The role of women in Belarusian society is intensifying significantly and talked about in new ways. Strikes and their legitimacy and usefulness have also become an important topic.
The increased desire for civic engagement has also become a major development. Whenever the state uses its power in a way that many people feel does not fulfil its duties, or when it is used even against its citizens, an impressive number of Belarusians appear willing to become involved and act at their own initiative.
This is becoming particularly apparent in the regional areas of Belarus. Whereas earlier one would find a relatively active civil society mainly in Minsk, we now see this emerging across the entire country, from provincial capitals all the way to small towns and villages. The notion of the “decentralised” is becoming a model for a “new” Belarus – and it seems quite likely that this trend will continue to grow, even with the current protests.
This Panel will present and discuss the various forms of civic engagement in the regions, and how the current situation has generated a new understanding of this phenomenon. A very diverse array of situations will be examined: we will talk about ambitious projects for local self-governance, initiatives promoting the development of rural areas, and the new potential for mobilisation by independent unions in Belarus’ regions.
Moderator
Artyom Shraibman
Artyom Shraibman is a Belarusian political analyst and the founder of the Sense Analytics consultancy, which provides regular economic and political analysis to subscribers. He is a non-resident scholar at the Carnegie Moscow Center, and a contributor to the TUT.by portal.
Speakers
Aliaksandr Yarashuk
President of the Belarusian Congress Of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP)
Tatsiana Karatkevich
Since 2015, Karatkevich has represented supporters of peaceful change, such as 2020 presidential candidate Andrey Dmitriev, leader of the initiative group “Tell the Truth”. She consistently defends the values of democracy, the development of civil society, dialogue between opponents and citizens’ participation in decision-making.
Sjarhej Tarasjuk
Dr. Tarasiuk is the Director of the International Foundation for Rural Development, which works on sustainable rural development, people engagement, sustainable agriculture, and strategic planning. He also works as a trainer and consultant.
Volha Karach
Head of “Nash Dom” International Civic Initiatives Centre
Aliaksandr Yarashuk
President of the Belarusian Congress Of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP)
Klara Geywitz
Klara Geywitz (SPD), who was born in Potsdam, is committed to equal living conditions between East and West after German reunification. Equality between men and women is particularly important to her. She was one of the initiators of the attempt to introduce legislation on the equal representation of women and men in political offices (parity law) in Brandenburg. She is a board member of the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.