Both Evelina Shchadryna and Hanna Komar arrived in the UK after the events of 2020 in Belarus, and since their arrival have made outstanding contributions to Belarusian Culture in the UK.

Evelina Shchadryna is a musician, folklorist and educator. She worked at the Belarusian State University of Culture of Arts for 20 years teaching vocal-choir and Belarusian folklore. In Belarus she was leader of the students’ folk group Strala at the University and soloist of folk Group “Vietah”. Currently she is leader of the Belarusian Folk Group “Vir“, which performed both at Kaliady 2024, and Kupalle 2025 held in London.

Hanah Komar is a poet, translator and writer. She studied in Minsk at the Belarusian State Linguistic University, specialising in English. After 2020 she came to Britain with the award of a Chevening Scholarship and gained an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Westminster. She has published five poetry collections: Страх вышыні (Fear of Heights), the docu-poetry collection Мы вернемся (We’ll Return), and Вызвалі або бяжы (Set Me Free or Run) in Belarusian, as well as the bilingual collections Recycled and Ribwort. She has also written a nonfiction book Калі я выйду на волю (When I’m Out of Here) exploring the collective experience of incarceration following the 2020 peaceful protests in Belarus. In 2021, she was awarded the Freedom of Expression award by the Norwegian Authors’ Union.

In 2024 she performed in the premier of her play “Body in Progress” which dealt with the lasting effects of her imprisonment during the events of August 2020 in Belarus. Currently she is a PhD student at the University of Brighton researching the use of poetry as a tool for working with aspects of gender based violence for women from Belarus.

This meeting will be in a conversation format, chaired by Alan Flowers, and provides an opportunity to hear from Evelina and Hanna about their life in Belarus, the work they have done since coming to the UK, and their future plans.

It is hoped that in additional to all interested members and friends, as many Belarusians as possible who are active in cultural events in the UK will attend this meeting, – so be ready for possibly some surprise guests!!

The meeting is scheduled to follow a rehearsal of the “Vir” group, led by Evelina, and will commence with a drinks reception from 16.30, to enable a prompt start at 17.00, and close of meeting at 17.50, prior to the Belarusian Church service at 18.00.

Please aim to arrive at this meeting by 16.30.

For this meeting the reception and networking will be before the event, there will be no drinks reception after the event.

A ZOOM link for this may be posted nearer the date on the Anglo-Belarusian Society Facebook page, and also sent out by e-mail.

WHERE: Marian House, Holden Avenue, London, N12 8HY
WHEN: Saturday, 6 December 16.30pm
ZOOM: link