Due to the obstacles caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, EHU was forced to cancel the traditional Graduation Ceremony in Vilnius. Thanks to the hospitality of the Lithuanian Embassy in Belarus, after a 16 year-long break it has become possible to host the EHU Graduation Ceremony in Minsk.
In his welcoming address to the participants of the Ceremony, the Ambassador of Lithuania in Belarus Andrius Pulokas highlighted: “The most important thing we are all experiencing at the moment is the beautiful feeling of our joint path to freedom. You are those who will build the future of Belarus. The very uneasy way is ahead of you, but I wish you to feel responsible for your country and people”. Ambassador Pulokas presented the Bachelor’s diploma to the Most Outstanding Undergraduate student of Class 2020 Veranika Chaika of the Visual Design program.
Among recipients of the degree diplomas are graduates of Visual Design, European Heritage, Media and Communication, and World Politics and Economy undergraduate programs, International Law and European Union Law integrated studies program, as well as graduates of Cultural Studies, Public Policy, and Cultural Heritage Development Master’s programs.
Keynote speaker of the Ceremony, Ambassador of the European Union in Belarus Dirk Schuebel noted: “Reading about the origins of EHU, I’ve learned how my fellow colleagues, fellow European Ambassadors serving in the 90’s, have contributed to establishing the University in Minsk. May your perseverance and dedication continue to serve the aims that were set in place by the founders of EHU. The European and Trans-Atlantic solidarity lives long. The European Union and many of the member states continue to stand by the University with Lithuania taking the first place”. Ambassador Schuebel also bestowed Master’s diploma to the Most Outstanding Graduate student of Class 2020 Alesia Savina-Smolskaya of the Public Policy program.
For the 8th time in EHU’s history, the community of the University has selected a laureate of the EHU Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2020, Ksenya Shtalenkova (BA Media and Visual Design, Class 2015 and MA Cultural Studies, Class 2017) was selected. Ksenya is a PhD student in Philosophy, a faculty member of the EHU Department of Humanities and Arts, author of “The Other Side of the Mirror” trilogy, novel „Governorate Detective“, the play „SimplyVeryComplicated”, and a monograph on the history of Belarusian money.
In response, Kseniya stated: “For me, EHU is not a brief, but rather complicated and also interesting, meeting and important decision, idea and support-intense route. Co-creativity has become particularly important for me because I am creating what can unite people. I am very grateful to EHU for the opportunity to recall these important moments. It is also important so that the struggle continues not only in particular moments or years but on a daily basis”.
In the final part of the Ceremony with farewell addressed to the Belarusian graduates of EHU, Prof. Aliaksandr Kalbaska stressed: “I wish that you would never be ashamed of your country. It is only when putting a joint effort on a daily basis we can do something for the sake of our country so that we do not need to pursue others that Belarus lives. Belarus is and will be alive!”.
