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Belarusian Language Society raises over $2,300 to pay rent

 

The Francisak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society (BLS) has raised about 20 million rubels ($2,312) in public donations within 10 days to pay the rent for its office in downtown Minsk following a drastic increase in the office rent rate.  

On May 2, the Society appealed for public donations, explaining that the rent rate for its office on Rumyantsava Street was raised by 60 percent to 9.8 million rubels ($1,130) a month on April 1. At the end of April, the BLS was not included in a list of non-governmental organizations entitled to low office rent rates.

“Between 20 and 30 common people donate 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 or 100,000 rubels to us each every day,” BLS Chairman Aleh Trusaw told BelaPAN. “We’re very grateful to them for such support.”

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is the organization that has provided financial assistance to the Society to date. On May 20, LDP Deputy Chairman Aleh Haydukevich presented Mr. Trusaw with two million rubels. According to the LDP press office, he said during a meeting with Mr. Trusaw that the development of the native language was one of the most important conditions for preserving state sovereignty. “To ensure that our country always remains an independent and sovereign state, we simply must develop and strengthen the Belarusian language,” he was quoted as saying. “We deeply appreciate the contribution of the BLS to popularizing, supporting and the developing the Belarusian language and culture.”

Mr. Trusaw said that although Uladzimir Nyaklyayew, chairman of the “Tell the Truth!” movement, had earlier promised to help the Society, he has not yet made any donations.

According to Mr. Trusaw, the BLS has created Webmoney accounts for people to donate online.

Founded in 1989, the Francisak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society has about 6,000 members in Belarus and other countries, including Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, the United States, Canada, and Germany. // BelaPAN