AGP Executive Report

Culture and Policy: Lithuania’s Seimas is considering a bill that would bar Belarusian and Russian citizens from public activities in culture, education, sport and the arts; lawmakers are due to revisit it in November. Faith and Technology: A Catholic church in Novolukoml consecrated an AI-assisted icon of Saint Carlo Acutis, drawing criticism from some believers who questioned whether it could be considered an icon. Education: Three Kazakh educators received CIS awards at a congress in Minsk, where teachers from seven countries discussed cooperation and shared teaching practices. On Screen: ONT has launched “One on One,” a quiz show featuring categories such as Belarusian landmarks and Russian TV series; its format resembles the international hit “The Floor.” Belarusian Stories Abroad: A Warsaw screening of the documentary “Bialiatski / Unbroken” brought the human rights activist and Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski together with viewers; he said he plans to publish a new book next year.

Faith & Technology: In Novolukoml, Archbishop Emeritus Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz blessed a parish icon of Saint Carlo Acutis created with AI. The unusual image has sparked debate among believers over whether AI-generated art can serve as an icon. Collecting: Asipovichy electrician Mikhail Samartsev has gathered more than 1,000 small-denomination coins from over 100 countries, including rare 19th-century pieces. Belarusian Books Abroad: Belarusian bookshop Kamunikat.shop took part in Poland’s Night of Bookstores, while the Pradmova literary festival’s second instalment is set for Vilnius next week. Publisher Yaraslau Ivaniuk has been placed on a wanted list. Culture Under Pressure: Belarusian human rights defenders say repression has not eased and continues to restrict people’s participation in cultural, educational and working life.

Faith & Technology: An AI-generated icon of St. Carlo Acutis was blessed in Novolukoml, prompting debate among parishioners over whether machine-made images can be icons. Culture & Rights: Belarusian human rights groups say repression remains intense, restricting people’s participation in cultural, educational and social life despite about 900 political releases since mid-2024. Belarusian Books Abroad: The Pradmova literary festival’s second part is due in Vilnius next week, while Belarusian bookshop Kamunikat.shop took part in Poland’s Night of Bookstores. Arts in Exile: An exhibition in Bonn showcases the work of imprisoned artist Maria Kalesnikava. Minsk Heritage: Officials say there are no plans yet to recreate the Red Church’s lost murals as restoration work proceeds.

Belarusian Cats: Minsk rescue cats Prusha and Azur now have wardrobes, café outings and even sanatorium holidays, thanks to the owner who adopted them. From Stage to Countryside: Former Pesnyary singer Aliaksandr Zaŭharodni has swapped Minsk for village life in Slutsk district, where he and his wife are building a small farm. Books Across Borders: Belarusian bookshop Kamunikat.shop joined a Polish Bookshop Night, while the Pradmova literary festival’s second event is set for Vilnius next week. Theatre and Language: A Belarusian-language theatre is staging a play based on Pushkin, as the Republican Theater of Belarusian Drama adds its first Russian-language performance to the programme. Minsk Heritage: Officials say there are no current plans to recreate the Red Church’s lost murals; restoration work will focus on other parts of the historic building.

Minsk Home: Mother of triplets Angelina Kaminskaya showed her family’s gifted apartment for the first time. The furnished home is near Chelyuskintsev Park, and the family paid nothing for it. City Cats: Rescued cats Azur and Prusha now visit Minsk cafés and restaurants, appear in adverts and even have wardrobes of their own. Belarusian Books: Kamunikat joined Bookshop Night events in Białystok and Warsaw, as its founder faces a wanted-list case. The Pradmova literary festival in Vilnius, opening October 16, will feature a new book on children deported under Soviet rule. Traditional Sport: Belarus will showcase gorodki at the BRICS traditional sports games in Ahmedabad on October 12.

Belarusian Books Abroad: Kamunikat.shop joined Bookshop Night in Białystok and Warsaw, bringing readers together for author events, book launches and music. Its founder, Yaraslau Ivaniuk, has been placed on a wanted list by Belarus and Russia, drawing condemnation from Pavel Latushka. Literary Festival: The Pradmova festival returns to Vilnius on October 16–17, with discussions on Belarusian identity in Europe, poetry and a new book on children of deported Belarusians. Support for Belarusians in Ukraine: A draft Ukrainian law would let some Belarusians renew residence permits using expired passports, or—in certain cases—a copy of a lost passport. The proposal is not yet law. Theatre Debate: The director of the Republican Theater of Belarusian Drama defended staging Pushkin in Russian, saying the theatre has presented Russian-language works before.

Belarusian Memory: Historian Iryna Ramanava’s new book, Chips Fly, traces the lasting effects of Soviet deportations on Belarusian children and their families. A discussion with the author is planned in Vilnius on October 16. Theatre Debate: The head of the Republican Theater of Belarusian Drama defended staging Pushkin’s Little Tragedies in Russian, prompting questions about language and the identity of a Belarusian-language institution. Culture Under Pressure: Polish journalist Jarosław Iwaniuk, founder of the Belarusian digital library Kamunikat.org, says Russia is seeking him at Minsk’s request—an escalation targeting a publisher of Belarusian literature abroad. Traditional Sport: Belarus will showcase gorodki at the BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Sports Demonstration Games in Ahmedabad on October 12, alongside cultural sports from other member and partner countries.

Belarusian Brands: Autumn launches include pumpkin yogurt and latte desserts, new marshmallow flavours and chocolate bars. Books Under Pressure: French novelist Marc Levy says he never expected his Belarus-set novel Noah to be branded extremist in Belarus. Art and Exile: At Bonn’s Beethovenfest, former political prisoner Maria Kalesnikava spoke about how memory and imagination can preserve freedom when regimes restrict culture. Belarusian Books Abroad: Bookstores in Warsaw and Białystok are hosting Belarusian writers for Poland’s Night of Bookstores. Chernobyl Legacy: From January 2027, 177 Belarusian settlements will lose their contaminated-area status, affecting about 566,400 residents; some benefits will continue for eligible students until June. Culture as Defiance: A Minsk shop known for clothing with traditional folk designs has closed, reflecting the growing pressure on Belarusian cultural expression.

Culture and Freedom: Belarusian activist and flautist Maria Kalesnikava told Bonn’s Beethovenfest that art and memory help preserve inner freedom, even when authoritarian governments restrict movement and contact. Belarusian Books Abroad: The Kamunikat.shop bookstore joins Poland’s Night of Bookstores, with free author events in Warsaw and Białystok featuring Belarusian writers. Chernobyl’s Legacy: From January 2027, 177 Belarusian settlements will lose their contaminated-area status, affecting about 566,400 residents; eligible students are due to keep free school meals until June. Minsk Heritage: The Red Church’s current restoration will preserve existing murals and restore stained glass, but does not include a full reconstruction of lost ceiling paintings.

Belarusian Heritage: A stone cross found near a church in Khvoshna bears pre-Christian symbols linked to folk beliefs about the soul and the universe. Minsk Culture: Restoration of the Red Church’s ceiling murals is due to begin this month, with work scheduled to finish by March 2027. Theater: Puppet-show tickets are disappearing within minutes of going on sale, renewing complaints about the theater’s overloaded website and years-long booking problems. Everyday Minsk: A Malinovka discount store sells T-shirts for 10 rubles and outfits for under 100. History in the Headlines: A fact-check found that Western Belarus joined the BSSR through political decisions in 1939—not a referendum, as state TV claimed.

Theatre: Minsk Puppet Theatre tickets are selling out within minutes after its three-month schedule goes live, with audiences reporting website glitches and long queues at the box office. Museum Plans: Minsk’s museum quarter is slated to open in 2028, adding exhibition space and a lecture hall, with accessibility features planned. Heritage: A wooden 1849 estate in Valozhin district sold at auction for 42,900 rubles; despite its age and architectural character, it is not officially listed as a protected historic site. Young Talent: Eighteen-year-old former Minsk basketball player Ivan Katouski is heading to a Montana college on a scholarship for the 2026–27 season. Education: Belarus has lost more than one in ten schoolteachers over five years, adding to pressure on the country’s education system.

Theatre: Minsk Puppet Theater audiences are racing for tickets after the new season’s schedule went online, but the website has struggled under demand. Some performances sell out within minutes, and box-office queues have stretched for hours. Museums: Minsk’s museum quarter is planned to open in 2028, with new galleries, a lecture hall and facilities designed to meet modern accessibility standards. Cultural heritage: Residents in Novopolotsk are trying to save an old mosaic, while a 1849 wooden estate in the Valozhin district has found a buyer at auction for 42,900 rubles. Books: Belarus has added Marc Levy’s spy novel “Noa” and 12 other titles to its list of publications banned from distribution.

Youth Sport: Eighteen-year-old former Minsk basketball player Ivan Katouski is heading to Montana on a two-year scholarship, where he’ll play for Dawson College. Inclusive Minsk: The city plans to expand its inclusive café network and is considering social-taxi rides to help employees with disabilities get to work. Onstage: The Republican Theater of Belarusian Drama has added its first Russian-language production to the playbill. Belarusian Arts Abroad: Flutist and activist Maria Kalesnikava accepted an honorary professorship at Salzburg’s Mozarteum University and plans to teach there. Living Memory: The VEHA archive is collecting family photographs for a second volume of “Ruins of Belarus,” documenting the country’s changing landscapes. Local Color: One Minsk woman has turned city walks—and café visits—into outings with her pet rooster.

Inclusive City Life: Minsk plans to expand its network of inclusive cafes, including solving winter commuting for employees with disabilities via the “Social Taxi” system and considering new sites like the “ROSTOK” rehabilitation center. Arts & Culture: Hrodna Drama Theater is welcoming a young Russian actress, Anastasia Abrashkina, though her name still isn’t listed in the troupe online—while the theater faces staffing issues. Health & Seasons: Belarus’s flu campaign is underway: risk groups get free “Grippol Plus,” while paid options include “Influvac Tetra” and “Vaxigrip Tetra,” with doctors expecting a late-January to early-February peak. Religion & Memory: An international round table in Vienna marked the 85th anniversary of Maly Trostenets, focusing on how historical memory is preserved and taught. Belarusian Diaspora & Rights: Belarusian state media renew warnings that political emigrants could lose citizenship under 2023 rules tied to court convictions and being abroad. Human Stories: A Belarusian missing in Italy since mid-September and a separate case about a drowned man found in Italy highlight how quickly family life can unravel abroad.

Culture & Identity: Maria Kalesnikava has finally received an honorary professorship from Salzburg’s Mozarteum—decided in 2022 while she was imprisoned, now accepted in person, with plans to teach and continue research. Belarusian Diaspora & Heritage: Researchers are revisiting what happened to Belarusian archives stored at the St. Euphrosyne church in South River, New Jersey—an important hub for post-war Belarusian community life and culture. Politics, Media & Rights: Belarus warns political emigrants they could lose citizenship under 2023 legal changes tied to extremist activity convictions, while independent journalists abroad keep pushing back on state pressure. Education & Everyday Life: Prosecutors in Hrodna region are visiting kindergartens to teach children “patriotism” through state symbols and war-themed lessons; meanwhile, Belarus has expanded rules limiting loud sound equipment at agro-eco farmstead events. Minsk Lifestyle: Construction is moving ahead on Planernaya Gora in Sukharevo, with new housing phases and a multi-story parking-and-commercial complex planned. EU/Region Watch: Estonia is stepping up border controls with Latvia, citing secondary migration pressure that it links to Belarus-related routes.

Belarus Citizenship & Activism: Belarusian state media is again warning that political emigrants could lose citizenship under 2023 amendments, with lawyers saying the campaign is meant to intimidate opponents abroad. Culture & Diplomacy: Belarus’s ambassador to Tajikistan met Tajik culture officials to push cultural exchanges, including Tajik participation in Minsk’s Listapad film festival and a 2028 roadmap for cooperation. Belarusian Life in Focus: Minsk’s new Planernaya Gora residential project is underway, with early phases including a multi-story parking garage and plans for apartments in Sukharevo. Work & Gender: Belstat data shows home-based work remains rare but female-heavy: 75% of home workers are women, while remote work is more male-dominated. Education & Society: Teacher shortages are worsening, with Belarus losing over 10% of school educators over five years, while Teacher’s Day messages from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya highlight teachers as key to the future. Travel & Family: Czech authorities expanded short-term visa options for some Belarusians to invite close relatives, easing restrictions introduced after 2022. International Spotlight: A Belarusian journalist from Belsat speaks from exile about reporting under pressure, as Belarus and Russia label independent media work as “terrorism” or “extremism.” Rules for Rural Events: Belarus expanded bans on sound amplification at agro-eco-farmsteads, covering more folklore and family celebrations.