EU’s unfinished promise: Democracy in Belarus and the Eastern neighbourhood

The 2026 Princess Beatrix Lecture will be delivered by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, exiled leader of Belarus’s democratic movement and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet.

Widely recognised as the winner of Belarus’s disputed 2020 presidential election, Tsikhanouskaya became one of Europe’s most prominent voices for democracy, human rights and a free Belarus following the mass protests that swept the country in 2020. Her work has received international recognition, including the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, the Charlemagne Prize and the International Four Freedoms Award, presented in Middelburg in 2022 by then Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

 

In her lecture, Tsikhanouskaya will reflect on Belarus’s European future and the wider challenges facing democracy and security in Europe’s eastern neighbourhood. She will address the consequences of continued Russian influence, the aspirations of people in the region to live in free and democratic societies, and the role and responsibility of the European Union in supporting democratic change.

Can't make it to the event? You can also watch the Princess Beatrix Lecture live on our YouTube channel.

The event is in English. This year's Princess Beatrix Lecture is organised in the framework of Dag van Rechtsstaat: de rechtsstaat, die vormen we samen.

Programme:

 

13:30-14:00 — Doors open

14:00–14:30 — Panel discussion “Defending democracy in Europe’s Eastern neighbourhood”

14:30–14:45 — Q&A

14:45-14:50 — Welcoming address 

14:50-14:55 — Introduction by Prof Giselle Bosse, Maastricht University

14:55–15:15 — Princess Beatrix Lecture by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

15:15–15:30 — Q&A

15:30-16:00 — Reception

About The Princess Beatrix Lecture 

The Princess Beatrix Lecture takes place within the framework of the European Heritage Label for the Maastricht Treaty and invites leading European figures to reflect on the legacy of the Treaty and its relevance for contemporary Europe. The initiative was launched in honour of Princess Beatrix’s long-standing involvement in the European integration process.

Location

Sint Janskerk

Vrijthof 24, 6211 LE Maastricht