Long Live Belarus! Explained

"Long Live Belarus!" is a Belarusian patriotic motto and proposed former national anthem, widely used by members of the Belarusian democratic and nationalist opposition, as well as by members of the Belarusian diaspora.

The motto is aimed at awakening the national civil sense, the consolidation of the Belarusian people to protect the freedom and independence of their country, language, and national culture.^[1]

History

Belarusian poet Janka Kupała ended his 1905–1907 poem "This is a Cry That Belarus Lives" with this phrase.^[2]

In December 1917, the First All-Belarusian Congress displayed the flag with the inscription "Long Live Free Belarus!".^[3]

It is displayed on the logo of a major state-owned newspaper, Narodnaya Gazeta. However, there have been cases of arrests for publicly calling out the motto at demonstrations.^{[4] [5] [6]}

The phrase has been widely used by opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko, both inside and outside of Belarus, during the 2020 Belarusian protests.^{[7] [8]}

See also

• Konstanty Kalinowski
• Viva Belarus!
• «Слава України!»
• Czołem Wielkiej Polsce
• עם ישראל חי

Notes and References

1. Аляксей Каўка. Жыве Беларусь! // Энцыклапедыя гісторыі Беларусі. У 6 т. Т. 3: Гімназіі — Кадэнцыя / Беларус. Энцыкл.; Рэдкал.: Г. П. Пашкоў (гал. рэд.) і інш.; Маст. Э. Э. Жакевіч. — Мн.: БелЭн, 1996. С. 377.
2. Web site: Родныя Вобразы / Вершы / Гэта крык, што жыве Беларусь / Купала Я.. March 6, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140306081033/http://rv-blr.com/vershu/view/5. 2014-03-06.
3. Web site: Pawet: Первый Всебелорусский съезд. pawet.net.
4. Web site: Согласно милицейскому протоколу, глухонемой «выкрикивал антигосударственные лозунги "Жыве Беларусь!"» . Светлана Калинкина . «Салідарнасць» . 2010-12-22 . 2016-11-11.
5. Web site: Племяннику Козулина дали 7 суток за лозунг «Жыве Беларусь!» . 2006-03-24 . «Комсомольская правда» . 2015-07-15.
6. Web site: Няхай «жыве», если «за» . Татьяна Карюхина, Антон Кашликов . 2007-07-16 . «БелГазета», №28 (598) . 2015-07-15.
7. News: Shocked by violence, Belarusians lose their fear. Tatsiana. Melnichuk. BBC News. 13 August 2020.
8. Web site: People are seeking change in Belarus. Instead, they're being mercilessly beaten and detained ǀ View. 13 August 2020. euronews.
9. Web site: On the National Anthem of Ukraine . 3 March 2022 . Legislation of Ukraine . . uk, en, ru.