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2020 Annual Conference Belarusian Studies in the 21st Century



UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies, the Ostrogorski Centre and the  Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum invites to the Annual London conference on Belarusian Studies.

The conference will take place on 21–22 February 2020 at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) and the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum in London.

The conference serves as a multidisciplinary forum of Belarusian studies in the West and offers a rare networking opportunity for researchers of Belarus. The draft programme of the conference is available here.

This year’s Annual London Lecture on Belarusian Studies will be delivered by Professor Thomas Bohn from Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Germany. The title is ‘Bagpipe Player and Painted Birds. Belarusian Histories of the People in the Marshes.’

To register for the conference please complete the online form linked here no later than 19 February 2020. The working language of the conference is English.

The conference organising committee includes Peter Braga, Dr Stephen Hall, Dr Alena Marková, Prof Yarik Kryvoi (co-chair) and Prof Andrew Wilson (co-chair). The conference is supported by the British Association for Slavonic & East European Studies. Please use hashtag #BelStudies.

The speakers and moderators include:

  • Dr Ryhor Astapenia, Chatham House, United Kingdom
  • Yahor Azarkevich, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
  • Prof Thomas Bohn, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Germany
  • Paula Borowska, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, UCL, United Kingdom
  • Peter Braga, UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies
  •  Jim Dingley, Anglo-Belarusian Society, United Kingdom
  • Dr Aleh Dziarnovich, National Academy of Sciences, Belarus
  •  Dr Sándor Földvári, Debrecen University, Hungary
  •  Dr Joanna Getka, University of Warsaw, Poland
  • Tadeusz Giczan, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, UCL, United Kingdom
  • Dr Yuras Hetsevich, National Academy of Sciences, Belarus
  • Prof Grigory Ioffe, Radford University, United States of America
  • Ekaterina Keding, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany
  • Prof Yarik Kryvoi (conference co-chair), Ostrogorski Centre
  • Dr Karalina Matskevich, Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum
  • Dr Alena Marková, Charles University, Czech Republic
  • Prof Arnold Barratt McMillin, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, UCL, United Kingdom
  • Dr Angela Espinosa Ruiz, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain
  • Dr Anton Saifullayeu, University of Warsaw, Poland
  • Dr Nataliia Steblyna, Donetsk National University, Ukraine
  • Yuliya Yarmak, Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Belarus
  • Prof Andrew Wilson (conference co-chair), UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies.

For any questions relating to the conference, please email belauk2020@gmail.com.



November 30, 2023

Kaliady and Batlejka 2023 (Christmas celebration), Saturday 16 December 2023, 3pm-5pm

All members and friends of the Belarusian community in Britain are cordially invited to the traditional Kaliady celebration organised by the Anglo-Belarusian Society on Saturday 16th December 2023, starting at 3pm, at the Church of St. Cyril of Turau, followed by a service and tea with biscuits at the Marian House afterwards. From 4pm there… Continue reading Kaliady and Batlejka 2023 (Christmas celebration), Saturday 16 December 2023, 3pm-5pm

November 30, 2023

An Afternoon with two Belarus Book Authors – Paul Hansbury and Vasil Eudakimau, Saturday 02/12 14:30-17:00

 Talk by Paul Hansbury – “Is There Such a Thing as “Belarus?”, followed by Q & A Vladimir Putin doesn’t appear to think there should be an independent Belarus : in his notorious 2021 essay “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians” he argued that Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians were a single triune nation.… Continue reading An Afternoon with two Belarus Book Authors – Paul Hansbury and Vasil Eudakimau, Saturday 02/12 14:30-17:00

October 2, 2023

Vanda Martins’ Reflections as a Translator and Poet in Lithuania and Scotland, Thu 12 Oct 19:00-20:30, Edinburgh

Vanda Martins’ Reflections as a Translator and Poet in Lithuania and Scotland THU 12 OCT 2023 @ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM VENUE : ANATOMY LECTURE THEATRE, SUMMERHALL – 1, Summerhall, Edinburgh, EH9 1PL AGE GROUP: 12+ (UNDER 16S WITH ADULT) PART 1 : SOVIET DEPORTATIONS FROM LITHUANIA – REVELATION BY TRANSLATION – A talk by Vanda… Continue reading Vanda Martins’ Reflections as a Translator and Poet in Lithuania and Scotland, Thu 12 Oct 19:00-20:30, Edinburgh

September 27, 2023

Meeting with Vanda Martins, Sat 7 Oct 14:00, London

On Saturday 7th October 2023 at 2pm, at the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library in North Finchley, Vanda Martins, a Belarusian poet from Lithuania, will talk about Dalia Grinkievičiūtė’s book “Lithuanians by Laptev Sea”, translated by Vanda into Belarusian. Vanda is also going to present poems from her upcoming trilingual book about Vilnia-Wilnia-Vilnius. This event will… Continue reading Meeting with Vanda Martins, Sat 7 Oct 14:00, London

December 10, 2022

Kaliady celebration, Batlejka and the 25th Anniversary of Narodny Albom

All members and friends of the Belarusian community in Britain are cordially invited to the traditional Kaliady celebration organised by the Anglo-Belarusian Society on Sunday 11th December 2022, 3pm At: Church of St Cyril of Turau & All the Patron Saints of the Belarusian People Marian House, Holden Avenue, London N12 8HY There will be… Continue reading Kaliady celebration, Batlejka and the 25th Anniversary of Narodny Albom

December 10, 2022

Kupalle (Midsummer) Celebration 2023

Saturday 24 June 2023, 3pm-10pm The Anglo-Belarusian Society cordially invites its members and friends to the traditional Kupalle (Midsummer)celebration in the garden of 37 Holden Road, London N12 8HS (the nearest tube stop is Woodside Park). The celebration is organised in partnership with the Francis Skaryna Belarusian Library and Museum and the Belarusian Catholic Mission,… Continue reading Kupalle (Midsummer) Celebration 2023

October 31, 2022

Centennial Commemoration of Auberon Herbert

Talks with recollections about Auberon Herbert from Pavel Shevtsov, Jim Dingley and Arnold McMillan. This will give an interesting and informative insight into the high level of activity of the Anglo Belarusian Society in the 1950’s to 1970’s, during Auberon Herbert’s active period with the Society. The meeting will be held both in-person at Marian… Continue reading Centennial Commemoration of Auberon Herbert

September 25, 2022

Queen Elizabeth II has died. 1926-2022

Anglo-Belarusian Society joins the nation in mourning the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

June 15, 2022

Kupalle (Midsummer) Celebration 2022

SATURDAY, 25 JUNE 2022 FROM 16:00-22:00 / 37 Holden Road, London N12 8HS £7 for members £10 for non-members The Anglo-Belarusian Society cordially invites its members and friends to the traditional Kupalle (Midsummer) celebration in the garden of 37 Holden Road, London N12 8HS (the nearest tube stop is Woodside Park). Travel: Please note that Rail, Maritime… Continue reading Kupalle (Midsummer) Celebration 2022