Belarus in the Shadow of the ‘Russian World’

The Institute for Development and Social Market in Belarus and Eastern Europe (IDSMBEE), in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Belarus (KAS Belarus), is pleased to invite participants to the international conference “Belarus in the Shadow of the ‘Russian World’: Challenges and Civil Society Responses”, to be held on 12 December 2025 in Warsaw.

This high-level event will bring together Belarusian civil society and democratic forces alongside European and international stakeholders, to examine Belarus’s current situation amid growing ideological and cultural pressure from the so-called “Russkiy Mir”.

The conference will explore the effects of this influence — from propaganda and cultural assimilation to repression and isolation — and provide space for discussion on how civil society and international partners can resist these threats and defend Belarusian identity, sovereignty, and democratic aspirations.

Programme Overview

The agenda includes five thematic panels:

Panel 1: Economy

Economic consequences of sanctions and growing dependency on Russia, with discussion of EU and IFI support options.

Panel 2: Society

Public opinion, diaspora influence, and supporting civil society under repression.

Panel 3: Countering the “Russian World”

Strategies to resist Russkiy Mir influence in media, education, culture, and local communities.

Panel 4: EU–Belarus Relations

Evaluating EU policy effectiveness and the balance between sanctions and engagement.

Panel 5: Democratic Forces

Strategic dialogue among democratic actors on unity, transition, and external engagement.

Practical Details

Venue: Warsaw, Poland
(Limited in-person capacity – registration required)

Online participation available with simultaneous interpretation into English (via Zoom). Participants on site may use personal devices for access.

Key Links

🔗 Register here
📄 Download the programme (PDF)

We warmly invite you to join this timely exchange on Belarus’s democratic future and Europe's response to hybrid ideological pressure.

Organised by:
Institute for Development and Social Market in Belarus and Eastern Europe (IDSMBEE) and Konrad Adenauer Foundation Belarus (KAS Belarus)