The power of self-organisation during the war in Ukraine and occupation of Belarus: Examining the grassroots initiatives
Moderator:
Dr Asya Kudlenko, Institute for Global Sustainable Development, the University of Warwick
Speakers:
Anton Motolko, Head of iSANS Monitoring Unit, Leader of the Belarusian Hajun Project
Andrej Stryzhak, Head of BYSOL Fund
Olga Chyzhova, Communication Director for Ukrainian Prism Foreign Policy Council
Yevhen Mahda, Director of the Institute of World Politics, Ukraine
Palina Brodik, Free Belarus Center Coordinator
Background:
Russia’s war against Ukraine has brought about a powerful rise of self-organisation and grassroots solidarity in Ukraine and Belarus. Responding to the very challenging situation on the ground, and operating in very difficult life-threatening circumstances, volunteers and activists are doing an amazing job to keep up hopes for a better tomorrow. Yet challenges persist, including tensions between the volunteer movement and the President’s office in Ukraine; between volunteers in Ukraine and those from Belarus, and through underground resistance in Belarus. In the latter, democratically-minded activists offer help where possible to the Ukrainians, in their joint fight for freedom and democracy. This includes information support, medical volunteering and participation in military units (Kalinouski regiment). However, due to Lukashenka’s support for Putin’s war which, despite being at odds with the will of the Belarusian people, has prompted a rise of Belarusophobia stifling the joint fight against dictatorships. Challenges range from access to the country, provision of relevant documentation, open hatred towards Belarus, and stigmatisation.
What are the most important developments in the current Ukrainian volunteer movement? What support is needed? How enduring will the solidarity be? How is the relationship between the volunteers and the Ukrainian Government shaped? What do Belarusians do to support Ukraine? How can they act under the current repressive environment in the country? What problems do Belarusian volunteers face in Ukraine? These questions will be discussed in a panel discussion organised by the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the Oxford Belarus Observatory.
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