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Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne, expressed solidarity with the Belarusian people in their struggle for democracy and human rights. He made the statement at the “Ireland–Belarus: National Cultural Identities” conference, which opened in Dublin today. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also addressed the opening of the conference.
Byrne said the conference demonstrated Ireland’s commitment to supporting democratic values and ensuring that Belarus remained a priority on the international agenda. He stressed that, amid the many crises facing the world, it was important to continue paying close attention to the situation in Belarus. He added that Ireland stood in solidarity with the Belarusian people as they continued their peaceful struggle for democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Drawing on Ireland’s experience, Byrne stressed the importance of preserving language and culture as expressions of national identity, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported.
Byrne said the day’s discussions had highlighted the vital role that language, culture and identity played in protecting democratic values and sustaining hope in difficult circumstances.