A commemoration was held in Vilnius on January 21 to mark the memory of Kastus Kalinouski, aka Konstanty Kalinowski, a prominent Belarusian and Polish revolutionary who played a key role in a revolt against the Russian Empire known as the "January Uprising," which began at the beginning of 1863.
Exiled Belarusians Mark Anniversary Of 1863 Insurrection Against Russian Rule
A commemoration was held in Vilnius on January 21 to mark the 1863–64 uprising against Russification policies imposed by the Russian Empire.
One of the leaders in the January Uprising, also known as the January Insurrection, was 26-year-old Kastus Kalinouski, a prominent Belarusian and Polish revolutionary who became a national hero for his dedication to the ideals of freedom, independence, and social justice.
A portrait of Kastus Kalinouski, also known as Konstanty Kalinowski, is displayed at the church in the Rasos cemetery where he is buried.
Kalinouski, whose aim was to restore Poland's independence, was executed in Vilnius for his role in organizing and leading the armed resistance against Russian forces in the Belarusian and Lithuanian territories.
Kalinouski's focus on social inequality made him a symbol of a broader struggle for freedom and justice.
Flags are displayed at the event to depict the four countries whose peoples took part in the uprising against Tsarist Russia -- Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus, which was represented by the white-red-white flag of the short-lived Belarusian democratic republic of 1918. Kalinouski's grave has become a symbol of resistance and a place of commemoration for those marking these countries' struggle for national independence.
Polish President Andrzej Duda (left) and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda (center) with his wife Diana, as well as other dignitaries, such as exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya (center, second row), took part in the commemoration.
In her remarks, Tsikhanouskaya said: "Our ancestors refused to live under the oppression of the occupiers. They chose dignity instead of humility, freedom instead of slavery, civilized Europe instead of a barbaric empire."
"Although the uprising did not end in victory, it witnessed the political birth of the Belarusian nation, and Kastus Kalinouski, who led the uprising in our lands, became a symbol of our common struggle for freedom," Tsikhanouskaya said.
Tsikhanouskaya added: "Today, four nations -- Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine -- unite the places of his birth, his struggle, and martyrdom."
In his address, Ukrainian Ambassador Petro Beshta noted that "our nations know their history very well. Freedom and independence cannot be taken for granted and must be defended and protected daily."
Tsikhanouskaya poses for a photo with exiled Belarusians...
...before she is warmly embraced. Tsikhanouskaya's husband, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, is one of 1,500 inmates in Belarus who have been recognized as political prisoners by the United States and EU.
Since the controversial Belarusian presidential election in 2020, the EU, the United States, Canada, and other countries have refused to recognize the 69-year-old strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka -- who has held power since 1994 -- as the legitimate leader of Belarus.