Current events in #Belarus really sparked my interest as a #politicalscientist studying the region. During my visits (2018, 2020), I realized how quickly things were already changing. Through urban pictures and personal experiences, I will explore this topic. 1/11

First, the city of #Minsk is, for most visitors, very simple with no fuss. In reality, the capital is a hidden gem with amazing areas. For example, the unofficial #art district (Vul Kastrychnitskaya) is a place of #cultural expression where young adults are innovating. 2/11

While the area is great, this urban artistic trend does not go further. Nevertheless, you can find many café/bars that fit this non-conformist narrative throughout the city. The music scene is also an alternative form of expression for young people. 3/11

If you compare these youth areas with the city center, you see a gap with the official narrative. While the historical district has a different tone, the rest of the city has this “Soviet” feeling to it. These areas are not opposed, but I felt that young people were evading 4/11

This generational gap is not only physically visible. @KristinMBakke and @Toal_CritGeo recently wrote that “the Soviet past has a waning grip on younger #Belarusians” https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/08/21/whats-driving-belarus-protests/. These polls were made before the recent events and the pandemic. 5/11

Needless to say, young people, do feel politically different from older generations. This does not mean that these protests are pro-Western and they have more to do with discontent about the current president. 6/11

Through all the discussions I had in #Belarus, it was hard to predict these events. Young people were not concerned too much about politics. Even a certain feeling of fatalism. My analysis was wrong. I think a lot of people had repressed their feelings about politics. 7/11

This presidential election unleashed a lot of hopes and dreams these people had for their country for many years. I am optimistic about #Belarusians and their future, but the situation is far from over. 8/11

A fair warning about the current situation is potential regional divides (pro- vs. anti-president), #Russia’s preferences/interferences, violence/repression & isolation. But, change is non-negotiable and #Belarusians are certainly ready for a democratic transition. 9/11

Democratic expression comes in different forms and #urbanart/public memory is one of them. Younger generations have been expressing themselves for a long time with no one listening. Now they are pushing for a change and they are not alone this time. 10/11

For those who want to go deeper into the subject of #Belarus, here are some interesting papers in @NationalitiesP https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/nationalities-papers/information/virtual-issue-on-belarus-from-nationalities-papers 11/11