Meet Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian housewife who was catapulted into national and international fame as the symbol of democracy and strong female leadership during the 2020 elections and unprecedented popular uprising. When her husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was unjustly imprisoned during his presidential campaign, she stepped forward in his place. Independent observers agree she won the election; however, official results claimed longtime dictator Aleksandr Lukashenka as the winner. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was forced into exile, while hundreds of thousands of Belarusian citizens took to the streets in peaceful protest.

Today, she is the National Leader of Belarus and Head of the United Transition Cabinet. Among dozens of distinctions, she is a recipient of the Sakharov Prize awarded by the European Parliament, the 2022 International Four Freedoms Award, and the Charlemagne Prize. At this inspiring event, she will be in conversation with Trine Christensen, former Secretary General of Amnesty International Denmark and author of a new book portraying Tsikhanouskaya and other courageous women across the world. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will share her reflections about the fight for human rights, the release of her husband and other political prisoners, coping with indefinite exile, and her leadership of one of the decisive struggles in our world today.

Trine Christensen has worked for Amnesty International in the USA and Denmark for over 20 years, serving as Secretary General from 2016-2021. She has recently released Kvindsmod (Women’s Courage). Read more at trinechristensen.dk.

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