European Humanities University > E.H.U. International Inaugural Conference

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We, members of the European Parliament from the neighbouring EU member states to Belarus – Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland – as well as many others share the opinion that in the current political circumstances, the natural need of the Belarusian youth to receive open and high-quality education cannot be satisfied within the official school. The authorities are right to presume that open and high-quality education encourages young people to have democratic values and skills, which are incompatible with the totalitarian regime. To resist the regime means to create for the Belarusian youth an alternative system of education, which is recognized as part of the joint educational space of Europe.

The European Humanities University has a great mission of educating a new generation of young professionals able to facilitate the formation of an open society in Belarus and capable of promoting dialogue between different European cultures. A successor of the European Humanities University, EHU International, sees its mission in promotion of free thought and democracy in Belarus, and should be a major civil society institution in Belarus, which brings together students, faculty, and researchers respecting open dialogue for the sake of the future of their country.

I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the donors of the European Humanities University and express, I hope, our common wish this university to become the basis for the creation of an alternative system of higher education in Belarus free from ideology-driven state educational standards; to offer Belarusian students modern educational programs; to promote internationalization processes in education; to provide graduate programs and international recognition of degrees of EHU International; and to form a new generation of lecturers and researchers, working with modern curricula. There are certain threats and risks to be overcome and decreased by our common efforts, and I hope we will succeed.

And last, but not least: young Belarusians whom I met in Beloweza, Poland two weeks ago asked me to forward this message to you: as many as possible study programs should be in Belarusian language. Russification should not be our policy, and even taking into account all difficulties the University will have in implementing programs in Belarusian language, I would like to remind that the language issue should be taken into account seriously as it is one of the instruments to rebuild and strengthen Belarusian nation. I wish the EHU International, the Rector, students and the staff all the best in their future activities.

Thank you for your kind attention.