Events

REGISTER HERE

The future of democracy seems uncertain.  Leading democracies appear unable to tackle some of the world's most pressing environmental, political, and social problems.  Every day brings more examples of unbridgeable political polarization, rising populist movements, and democracies around the world seemingly in retreat.  Meanwhile autocratic systems continue to find new ways to advance illiberal alternatives to democracy. 

Nevertheless around the world, on every continent, people continue to risk their lives and freedom for democracy.  In Belarus in 2020, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya seemingly won the presidential election only to be kept from power by the country’s dictator, Alexander Lukashenka. Hundreds of thousands of people came out to protest – nearly all for the first time – against the fraudulent elections.  Belarus’ autocratic regime violently cracked down: tens of thousands of peaceful protesters were arrested and subjected to abuse in custody; over 1,400 political prisoners are still behind bars.   

In the four years since the elections, Lukashenka’s regime has moved closer to Putin’s Russia and sought to undermine European democracies to the west. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya continues to lead the opposition from outside the country as the movement works to advance a democratic transition in Belarus, protect human rights, and secure freedom for political prisoners.  

In a year that will see more people head to the polls than ever before, Perry World House is proud to welcome Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to discuss why democracy is still worth fighting for. 

Speaker

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement.  She has visited 28 countries, gathering support and advocating for the release of more than 1500 political prisoners and a peaceful transition of power through free and fair elections.  In meetings with President Biden, Chancellor Merkel, President Macron, President von der Leyen, President Charles Michel, Prime Minister Trudeau and other world leaders, Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the need for a braver response to the actions of the Belarusian dictatorship.  

Tsikhanouskaya’s story began when she entered the race after her husband Siarhei Tsikhanousky was arrested for voicing his presidential aspirations. Lukashenka publicly dismissed her as a “housewife,” saying that a woman cannot become president. Nonetheless, Tsikhanouskaya united and successfully led the democratic coalition. Following her forced exile, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya inspired unprecedented peaceful protests in Belarus, with some rallies numbering hundreds of thousands people. When the war in Ukraine started, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced the anti-war movement to prevent the participation of Belarus in the war against Ukraine. Mass campaign of disobedience and dozens acts of sabotage took place aimed to stop Russian troops from entering Ukraine from Belarus territory. 

In 2020–2023, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya became a symbol of the peaceful struggle for democracy and strong female leadership. Among dozens of distinctions, she is a recipient of the Sakharov Prize awarded by the European Parliament, 2022 International Four Freedoms Award, and Charlemagne Prize. In 2021 and 2022, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Members of the Norwegian Parliament respectively. Tsikhanouskaya has been recognized in Bloomberg’s Top 50 Most Influential People, Financial Times’ Top 12 Most Influential Women, and Politico’s Top 28 Most Influential Europeans. 

Moderator

Justin Vogt is executive editor of Foreign Affairs. Before joining Foreign Affairs in 2011, Justin Vogt was the managing editor of World Policy Journal. Earlier, he was a research editor and fact-checker at The New Yorker, an associate producer on documentary films for the PBS series Frontline, and the business manager of the independent music label Palace Records. His writing has been published by The New Yorker, The New York Times, Slate, and other outlets.