The purpose of this page is to collect the links and information about the diversity of the Belarusian Society. We'll be discussing here different minorities issues - ethnic, gender, gay/lesbian, handicapped, mentally retarded etc.

Throughout the centuries Belarusian lands were the cradle to ethnically and religiously diverse society. Muslims, Judaists, Orthodoz Christians, Roman and Greek Catholic Christians, Protestants were living together without any major confrontations for centuries. Belarusians, Poles, Russians, Jews, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, Gypsies lived in peace in Belarus with every ethnos being a vital ingredient of one living whole - Belarusian Nation. And although 20th century brought many setbacks to this idyllic coexistence Belarus is in many senses has a culture of tolerance. This is one of the treasures of the rich heritage that we have from the past - the multicultural commonwealth tradition of the pra-Belarus - The Grand Duche of Lithuania.

           There are many issues that Belarusian society still has to solve. We need to create an active thinking citizen type. We need to improve the attitude and care to minorities in our society. We need progress in women's rights, gay/lesbian issues, improve life for handicapped, seniors, mentally retarded, etc. Some of this is already under way but we are far from being perfect.

 

Ethnic issues

• Jewish Belarus - this is our page with collection of links about the history and culture of Belarusian Jewry.
• "Glos znad Niemna" - newspaper of Belarusian Poles.
• Poles in Belarus - collection of links.
• Yatviags (or Virdainas) - the ancient ethnos of Belarus

Belarusians abroad - Belarusian Diaspora page

Women's Rights

• Women's movement in Belarus - a historic review by Lyudmila Petina, Director of the Center of Women's Education and Consulting
• Belarusian Women's Party "Hope"

Gay / Lesbian Rights

• Belarus Lambda League for Freedom of Gays and Lesbians (BLL)
• Lilith - Belarusian lesbian site.
• Anti-Gays Organize in Belarus (March, 1999)
  An anti-gay conference in Minsk, Belarus, entitled "The Pernicious Consequences of International Projects of Sexual Education" was attended by numerous government officials March 11-12. Organized by the nation's Russian Orthodox Church and the European Humanitarian University, the confab attracted, among others, the chairman of the Constitutional Court and the health minister. According to local gay activists, "The participants of the conference condemned the practice of using condoms and of making abortions which were regarded as 'satanic influences.' Among the 'authors' of the 'pernicious' projects of sexual education [are] the World Health Organization, UNESCO and the UN." Gays and lesbians were declared to be "perverts and criminals," activists reported, and one priest called for all homosexuals to "be executed on the electric chair."
• Gay and Lesbian Issues in Belarus by A Belarus Miscellany.

Handicapped issues

• Special Olympics Belarus - the contact info for Belarusian chapter.
• An Association of Handicaped of the city of Minsk, Belarus