I started this blog in late 2019 in order to show aspects of a country of which little is known outside its borders.

The idea was to break  the stereotypes that foreigners have of Belarus and Belarusians and the share my observations of the people and their daily lives from the point of view of somebody living here.

I wanted to avoid politics because there is a rich sources of information for those who care to delve deeper into the subject. Also, while politics has impinged on people’s lives, arguably to a greater extent than in the West, Belarus is not just about its political system and structure. As everywhere else, people get on with their day to day lives, It is how they do it, which is more interesting.

However, in August 2020 things changed. I was privileged to witness a spontaneous (and yes, it was spontaneous) outburst of dissatisfaction with the actions of the President who clearly falsified the elections.

During these times, people who normally learnt to live with and adapt to injustice decided to make their voices felt. Conversations between people invariably touched on ‘the situation’ and politics suddenly became part of people’s everyday lives.

In this situation, therefore, it was impossible to ignore the ‘elephant in the room.’ It was necessary to document what was happening and to look at the wider context in which it was happening.

More than this, it became clear that Belarus needs its own identity – an identity that can contain elements of its neighbours’ identities but not be subsumed by them.  This identity, the unique character, its history and its understanding of the others’ which, up to now, has been defined by its Eastern neighbour is crucial. Without this, it can never be a true nation.

Thus,  I have included some stories from my own family’s history, from its Belarusian beginnings, but also other parts of history that are ignored or supressed by the current Belarusian authorities.

I cannot hope to emulate the work of those in Belarus who have been imprisoned or are still in prison.

However, I can do my part in highlighting a part of the world that is little understood.

I therefore dedicate this blog to all those who have suffered because they had the strength to speak out and to those inside and outside the country who are selflessly promoting Belarusian culture, history and identity.