A delegation of Belarusian museum professionals took part in the European Museum Forum.

A delegation of Belarusian museum professionals, united under the initiative Belarusian Museum Laboratory founded within the Museum of Free Belarus, attended Europe’s largest museum forum — the European Museum of the Year Award.

Belarusian museum workers in exile — former museum founders and directors, researchers, and cultural managers — took part in panel discussions, workshops, and presentations throughout the five-day forum. Their participation was made possible thanks to the hosting institution, the Museum of Memory of Siberia in Białystok, with organizational support from the Museum of Free Belarus and the National Anti-Crisis Management.

Inviting the Belarusian representatives, Wojciech Śleszyński, Director of the Museum of Memory of Siberia, emphasized that the Polish museum community highly values supporting the democratic museum community of Belarus and recognizes the extraordinary difficulties it faces due to the current political situation and its restrictions. “We want to assure you of our deep respect and solidarity with your initiatives,” he said.

The European Museum of the Year Award (EMYA) is a prestigious international event that plays a significant role in advancing museology in Europe. It honors museums for innovation, exhibition quality, audience engagement, and cultural significance. Winning the award not only enhances institutional prestige but also fosters professional growth, knowledge exchange, and community development across the sector.

The Manchester Museum was named the winner of the 2025 award, impressing the jury with its multifaceted engagement with diverse, including vulnerable, communities. A special personal award from the renowned scholar Kenneth Hudson was presented to Nini Sanadiradze, who faced persecution for supporting anti-Russian protests and was dismissed from her position as Director General of the Tbilisi Museum Union.

In meeting the Belarusian delegation, Nini Sanadiradze underlined that she is well aware of the Belarusian situation and the challenges faced by the country’s museum professionals — hostages of the Belarusian people’s universal striving for freedom and democracy.

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