Ales Byalyatski: “Freedom Day is holiday to be celebrated outdoors”

• 12.02.2008, 12:48

Belarus celebrates 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic proclamation on 25 March. How will representatives of the Belarusian opposition celebrate the anniversary?

Ales Byalyatski, human rights activist and nominee for Nobel Prize, member of the literary association “Tuteishya,” one of those who began to celebrate the Freedom Day in mid 1980ies, told it in the interview to Radio Svaboda.

– How would you celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic proclamation?

– The form of celebration has changed essentially since 1980ies. It the only holiday, I am absolutely sure, all Belarusians should mark outdoors. To create the visualisation. Because, we, Belarusians, are not well seen in modern Belarusian space. We lack national symbols, mass celebrations. In order people can gather, celebrate, in order people to show this day is important for them.

– What does BNR mean for you?

– For me it is an attempt to demonstrate that Belarusians are a people, that they are able to state formation. Because state formation is a peak of nation maturity on a certain stage of national development, and one can’t skip it.

The best representatives of Belarusian intelligentsia proclaim the creation of the Belarusian National Republic on 25 March, 1918. An independent state appeared on the world map. This event was erased from the history of our country in the Soviet time. The event is hushed up in today’s Belarus, too.