Belarusian Public Figure In The USA Vyachka Stankevich Died

• 24.07.2025, 22:39

He was 92 years old.

Belarusian public figure in the United States Vyachka Stankevich has died, researcher of Belarusian emigration Natalya Gordienko reported on Facebook. He was 92 years old.

Vyachka Stankevich was born in Vilnius on September 15, 1932 in the family of a famous linguist and public figure Janka Stankevich and his wife Maria, by birth Czech.

In 1949, together with his parents Vyachka Stankevich came to the United States. First settled in Minnesota, later lived in Cleveland, where he participated in the creation of the Belarusian soccer team "Pogonya". In 1951-1954 he served in the American army, after returning from which he lived in New York.

In 1959 he graduated from the City College of New York with a degree in electronic engineering. In 1968, he earned a master's degree in engineering from the Newark (New Jersey) College of Engineering. Played for the New York soccer team "Belarus". He was an active member of the Association of Belarusian Youth in America, chairman of its New York branch, later chairman of the Main Board. He worked as an engineer in ITT and Western Union corporations. In 1963-1966 he lived in Western Europe in connection with his work, later returned to New York.

Has been a member of the Belarusian-American Association, was a member of the leadership of the organization (Chairman of the Main Department in 1969-1971 and 2007-2011). In 1988-1998, he was the head of the Belarusian service of Radio Svaboda. Then he returned to the United States.

In 2003 he took over the leadership of the Lev Sapieha Foundation. Advisor to the BNR, was elected deputy chairman of the Rada. In 2009-2018, he was chairman of the Piotr Krechevsky Belarusian Foundation. In 2013, together with his wife, he founded the Monroe-Vilnia Foundation to support various Belarusian projects.