Art and Solidarity – A Matinee with Maria Kalesnikava
21 Jun 2026, 11 am – 2 pm

Freedom – not just artistic freedom – is a barometer of democratic societies. Maria Kalesnikava bears witness to what its loss means. In 2020, the Belarusian musician, cultural manager and political dissident was imprisoned in Belarus for her civil rights activism and resistance to the long-standing ruler Alexander Lukashenko. She spent five years in captivity, much of that time in solitary confinement. Thanks to international pressure and negotiations, she was unexpectedly released in December 2025. Since then, she has been speaking out on behalf of all those artists suffering from repression, political persecution and professional bans. She is a passionate advocate for humanity, solidarity and social responsibility.

Together with her long-standing supporters Christine Fischer, Tatsiana Khomich and Kai Ohrem, Maria Kalesnikava will speak at a matinee event about the role of art and culture in democratic societies, her commitment to a free Belarus and the power of solidarity – even across national borders.

The discussion will be accompanied musically by the Belarusian musicians Katsia Kaya, Grigory Kharanenko and Jana Ščarbakowa, who remained in solidarity with Maria Kalesnikava even during her imprisonment.