Over 50 famous Belarusians call for new National University

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