Winds of Change – 1989 – 2009: 20 years of non-violent roads to freedom

International Team at the Academic Culture Center „Alternator”, Cultural Collective and Towarzystwo Edukacyjne „Wiedza Powszechna” invite you to:

Winds of Change – 1989 – 2009: 20 years of non-violent roads to freedom

 

Place: Filology Department of the University of Gdansk, ul. Wita Stwosza 55, room 1.47, time: 18.30
Free entrance

In the last twenty years the countries East of the former Iron Curtain have found their ways towards freedom. At different moments and in different styles they have rid themselves of lack of democracy and dictatorships. Let’s revive Poland’s, Serbia’s and Ukraine’s successes and Belarus’ continuing struggle for freedom.

19 May 2009
It’s time: The Ukrainian Orange Revolution in 2004.

The third lecture will be about the Orange revolution in Ukraine. In 2004 a non-violent youth-movement called Pora provided the momentum for political change in Ukraine. With strategies directly connected to those of Otpor! used four years earlier they were able with their ‘it’s time’ campaign to gather enough attention and support to contribute to a peaceful change of power.

Lector: Taras Kubrak (Ukrainian eyewitness)
Documentary: The Orange Revolution (2007)

 

26 May 2009
An incomplete Revolution: The Power of Lukashenka during the elections of 2006 and afterwards.

The fourth and last lecture will make a nice ending of this series of lectures. It will give an overview of the elections of 2006 in Belarus in which the opposition was not able to overthrow the authoritarian regime of Lukashenka and of the current situation in Beklarus. Belarus is the last dictatorship in Europe and the aim of this last lecture is not only to create awareness on the mistreatment of many Belarussian people but also to support oppositional movements by some form of action.

Lector: Aleksiej Kowtun (Belarusian activist)
Documentary: Journalists (2008)

Contact:
Christie Miedema – e-mail: christie.miedema@inbox.com