Over 50 famous Belarusians call for new National University
Cultural figures and artists believe that the EHU has become a commercial institution and no longer serves Belarus.
Fifty seven culture and art figures have called for the creation of the National University. The appeal was signed by Svyatlana Aleksiyevich, Stanislau Shushkevich, Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu, Kasia Kamotskaya, Maksim Zhbankou and other well-known figures of culture and art.
The statement is a response to election of the EHU rector which, according to the signatories, marked the end of the Belarusian era of the university. This is what Maksim Zhbankou, former EHU instructor and one of the signatories, told Euroradio.
Maksim Zhbankou: "This is the end of the story about the Belarusian university in exile, since the course and administration have changed. It is a movement towards local commercial institution, not a public project, which was originally seen in EHU. This frustration was the reason for this appeal. It is not a clear plan for the future of the project, but the vector for joint search."
It is not known where this university may be founded. The principle of operation of the new university should not become "more Belarusians in Europe" but "More Europe in Belarus."
Here is the text of the statement and the list of signatories in full:
STATEMENT ON ACCOUNT OF ELECTION OF THE NEW EHU RECTOR.
Although the elections of EHU Rector are said to be over, their results are impossible to accept: the many months' the process was totally untransparent, accompanied by complaints of candidates and unpredictable changes in the rules of the game. The EHU administration pointedly ignored the views of the academic and student communities, alumni associations and the Belarusian public.
The fate of the university fell into the hands of a man who not only never dealt with Belarusian issues, but is not even familiar with the situation in our country and in the region. With his participation were carried out academic repressions against dissentients, the principles of the European University were compromised.
The institution, originally oriented on education of the new generation of conscious citizens of an independent country, eventually went beyond the borders and influence of a democratic society in Belarus. With the new management, it is turning into a colonial-style university, a commercial project in which Belarusians are excluded from participation in decision making processes.
In this regard, we consider it necessary to state that in its current state, the EHU can no longer be considered a Belarusian project. Support for such a university cannot be perceived as support for democracy and human rights in Belarus, since the activities of the EHU management discredit those values.
We call on civil society in Belarus to immediately implement practical measures to create an effective competitive National University, in which the European mindset is the principle of existence, Belarusian spirit - a strategic choice, and Belarus - a unique resource for research.
The principle of the new university should not become "more Belarusians to Europe", but "More Europe in Belarus."
Svyatlana Aleksievich, writer, Nobel Prize nominee for 2013 and 2014
Syarhei Antusevich, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions
Uladzimir Arlou, writer
Stanislau Bagdankevich, Doctor of Economics, professor, ex-chairman of the National Bank of Belarus
Anzelika Borys, chairwoman of the Central Council of the Union of Poles in Belarus
Ales Bialiatski, human rights activist and nominee for the Nobel Prize 2013 and 2014
Yauhen Vapa, chairman of the Belarusian Union in Poland, director of radio the radio Racyja
Zmitser Vaitsyushkevich, singer, musician
Andrei Vardamatski, Professor, Doctor of Social Sciences
Tadeusz Gawin, honorary chairman of the Union of Poles in Belarus, Doctor of Humanities
Lyudmila Graznova, head of the public association "Human Rights Alliance", Ph.D in Economics
Aleh Hulak, chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee
Viktar Dashuk, film director, screenwriter, Honored Artist of the Byelorussian SSR, People's Artist of the Byelorussian SSR, winner of the State Prize of the USSR
Iryna Dubyanetskaya, Academic Director of the Belarusian Collegium, PhD, Doctor of Theology
Maksim Zhbankou, a cultural journalist, PhD in Philosophy, associate professor, ex-friend of the EHU Senate
Ian Zaprudnik, Doctor of Historical Sciences, the Belarusian Institute of Science and Art, New York
Ales Zarambyuk, Chairman of the "Belarusian House", Warsaw
Syarhei Isakau, documentary filmmaker
Andrei Kazakevich, director of the Institute of Political Studies "Political Sphere", Doctor of Political Sciences, the chief editor of Belarusian Political Science Review.
Svyatlana Kalinkina, chief editor of the newspaper Narodnaya Volya
Kasia Kamotskaya, singer
Alyaksandr Klaskouski, political commentator, head of analytical projects at BelaPAN
Andrei Klimau, a businessman, politician, writer, deputy of the Supreme Council of the 13th convocation of the Republic of Belarus
Ina Kuley, chairwoman of the Solidarity
Alyaksei Lastouski, coordinator of the History of the Belarusian Collegium, PhD in Sociology
Andrei Laurukhin, Ph.D., Associate Professor of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg, the former secretary of the EHU Senate
Zhanna Litvina, the ex-chairwoman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists
Ales Lozka, chairman of the NGO Belarusian Society School, Ph.D., associate professor
Anatol Lyabedzka, leader of the United Civil Party
Valer Mazynsky, film and theater director, Honored Artist, laureate of the State Prize of the BSSR
Alena Makouskaya, director of the NGO World Association of Belarusians Fatherland
Leanid Mindlin, director and screenwriter of documentary films
Syarhei Navumchyk, journalist, coordinator of the opposition Belarusian Popular Front of the 12th convocation parliament
Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu, poet, politician, former candidate for President of the Republic of Belarus
Uladzimir Padgol, a political scientist, Ph.D., associate professor
Mikhail Pastukhou, Professor, Doctor of Law, Honored Lawyer of the Republic of Belarus, the former judge of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Belarus
Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist, writer
Baris Pyatrovich (Sachanka), chairman of the Union of Belarusian Writers, the chief editor of Dzeyaslou
Ales Pushkin, artist
Andrei Sannikau, coordinator of the civil campaign European Belarus, former candidate for President of the Republic of Belarus
Pavel Sevyarynets, co-chairman of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy
Ales Smalyanchuk, professor at the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences
Alyaksandr Starykevich, chief editor of Solidarity, a member of the BNR Rada
Volha Stuzhynskaya, director of the Office for Democratic Belarus, Brussels
Ivonka Survila, chairwoman of the Belarusian People's Republic Rada
Alyaksandr Tamkovich, journalist
Andrei Fyodarau, an expert on foreign policy and security, the PhD of physical and mathematical sciences
Andrei Hadanovich, poet, chairman of the Belarusian PEN Center
Vyachaslau Khadasousky, chief editor of the newspaper Belarusians and Market
Iryna Khalip, a journalist
Uladzimir Khalip, screenwriter, writer
Serzh Kharytonau, President of the EHU Alumni Association, a member of the group for the development of special education in the Middle East under the auspices of the Qatar Foundation for Education
Yuri Khashchavatsky, film director
Pavel Tserashkovich, Ph.D., associate professor, ex-chairman of the EHU Senate
Viktar Shalkevich, singer, actor
Stanislau Shushkevich, member of the National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor, ex-chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Belarus
Nina Shydlouskaya, coordinator cultural campaign We Belarusians!
Alyaksei Yanukevich, chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party
Photo: blog.bestworks.ru