On 7 August 2025, ISHR Secretary General Matthias Boehning and ISHR President Prof. Dr. Dr. Thomas Paul Schirrmacher met in Vilnius with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tikhanouskaya.

They were accompanied by Martin Oliner (ISHR Strategic Advisor), Jed Oliner (ISHR Volunteer Lithuania), Jurgita Samoskiene (ISHR Country Lead Lithuania) and Kristina Trinkūnaitė (Head of Communications, Caritas Lithuania). Together, they discussed the current situation of the Belarusian diaspora in Europe and the challenges facing democracy movements in exile.

Tikhanouskaya emphasised the importance of international support:

„Raise the issue in your own country. Ask your government: What are they doing to support Belarusians? What steps are they taking to help free political prisoners and address the humanitarian issues? Are they cooperating with the democratic forces of Belarus?

It’s essential not only to spread awareness about the situation in Belarus but also to prepare new professionals and future leaders for a democratic Belarus. Democracy is different from dictatorship. In a democracy, initiative is needed – you won’t be punished for speaking up or taking action.

We, Belarusians, had to understand how democratic structures function. So we studied that, built our own democratic structures and are now learning how to collaborate within them.

What your organization (ISHR) can do is the following: if you have exchange programs, we have a strong youth wing in our movement. If there are opportunities for them to learn from your experience and also to share theirs, that would be a fantastic first step. Even a small engagement can make a difference”.