Andrei Sannikov: “Public opinion in Europe sides with democratic forces of Belarus”

“Freedom to Create” prize was founded by ArtVenture, a philanthropic organisation, and an international human rights organisation Article XIX. The Free Theatre from Belarus is among the winners in the main nomination. According to the rights, the organization which has received a prize, nominates for this prize one of the human rights organisations of its country which is known by its activities on defence of freedom of expression, rights and freedoms of a person. The Belarusian Free Theatre has nominated the Charter’97 initiative.

“Prize awarding has taken place for the first time. And the combination is very interesting: the company that is engaged to investment in creative work, and a well-known human rights organisation have founded a prize for promotion of freedom of and to honour human rights organisations. We would like to express gratitude to the Free Theatre for nominating Chater’97 for the prize. It was noticeable in London that the reputation of or theatre is very high, and how great the respect for its leaders are. It is a sincere display of attitude towards our country,” the international coordinator of the Charter’97, one of the leaders of the “European Belarus” Andrei Sannikov believes.

According to Sannikov, the problem of defence of freedom and democracy is becoming more and more acute in the world.

“By our example we know that some European politicians are trying to play a game with dictatorships, including the dictatorship in Belarus, which certainly would unlikely bring positive results. The united Europe today is a zone of democracy, freedom of expression, that is why we can say with confidence that the public opinion in Europe sides with the democratic forces of Belarus. Their evaluation of the situation in our country is unambiguous. Belarus for them is a country where the authorities interfere with exercise of human freedoms and rights, where there is no free election, but political prisoners exist. That is why Europeans support the democratic forces and freedom fighters in Belarus. The fact that the first prize has been given to the “Free Theatre”, demonstrate this support once again,” the Charter’97 coordinator believes.

Besides the Free Theatre, main prize was also given to Zimbabwean playwright Cont Mhlanga for his satirical play The Good President about Mugabe’s regime and Pakistani-Norwegian singer and human rights activist Deeyah, nicknamed ‘The Muslim Madonna’. The playwright Cont Mhlanga nominated the organisation which fights for equality of rights for women in Zimbabwe.

At the prize-awarding ceremony such well-known organisations as the International PEN-centre, the International Organization for Musicians’ Rights and Freedoms, International organisation of actors’ rights defence and many others. Outstanding British playwright Tom Stoppard, who is interested by the situation in Belarus and uses his influence to speak the truth about the events in our country, awarded heads of the Free Theatre Mikalai Khalezin, Uladzimir Shcherban and Natallya Kalyada and international coordinator of Charter’97 Andrei Sannikov.

Andrei Sannikov’s speech

ArtVenture’s President at the award-giving ceremony

The Free Theatre representatives with The Guardian’s culture section’s editor

Tom Stoppard and Andrei Sannikov

Natallya Kalyada’s speech at the award-giving ceremony

The ArtVenture Freedom to Create Youth Prize winner, City of Rhyme, a hip-hop group from Brazil

With Tom Stoppard

Andrei Sannikov, Uladzimir Shcherban, Natallya Kalyada and Mikalai Khalezin

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