In Vilnius, at the Rossa Cemetery, a quiet ceremony marked the 161st anniversary of the January Uprising. Attendees included representatives from four nations that historically participated in the uprising: Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus. Poland was represented by President Andrzej Duda, who spoke warmly about honoring the legacy of those who sacrificed for freedom. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda also attended, as did Ukraine’s ambassador to Lithuania, Petro Beshta. Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the event as the representative of the Belarusian nation. The gathering underscored shared values and a commitment to democracy in the face of ongoing regional challenges (attribution: event coverage).
Resonant calls from the manifesto and ongoing solidarity
During the ceremony, President Duda expressed gratitude to President Nausėda for key gestures that have strengthened ties between their countries, including the invitation to participate in commemorations such as the 610th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald. Duda recalled last year’s celebrations in Warsaw, where he hosted Nausėda and his wife, highlighting how the conspirators of 1863 rejected Tsarist repression and chose to stand for liberty. He reiterated that the call from those times to resist despotism resonates across Poland, Lithuania, and Russia, urging people to unite in the face of oppression.
The remarks tied the historical struggle to current events, noting that peaceful and armed resistance has endured against cycles of violence, conquest, and humiliation. The narrative connected the historical struggle to Russia’s ongoing actions in Ukraine and the tightening pressure on Belarus, a dynamic described as the lingering influence of the Kremlin over the Minsk regime. Duda emphasized that free nations in Central and Eastern Europe stand with Ukraine and with the Belarusian democracy movement in opposing imperialist efforts (attribution: conference remarks).
Unity and the shared duty to resist tyranny
President Nausėda framed the January Uprising as a testament to resilience in the face of tyranny, noting that the present era demands vigilance and steadfast solidarity. He warned against missteps and hesitation, stressing that the region’s fate depends on collective resolve to oppose imperialist aims. He expressed appreciation for Duda’s work to deepen Polish-Lithuanian cooperation across history, politics, economy, and security. Nausėda urged continued collaboration to strengthen mutual ties and pledged joint efforts to support Ukraine and the Belarusian democratic movement as needed. His message was clear: unity is essential at this critical juncture (attribution: presidential remarks).
Tsikhanouskaya on unity of enslaved nations
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya reminded listeners that the January Uprising, while not outright victorious, played a pivotal role in shaping the Belarusian nation and its broader historical trajectory, aided by figures like Konstanty Kalinowski who led resistance in present-day Lithuania. She described how enslaved nations came together in that rebellion to pursue a free future for the continent. Tsikhanouskaya underscored that today, the fight for freedom, democracy, and self-determination remains ongoing in the region. She stressed the need for strong solidarity from the democratic world and for efforts to counter measures that undermine national consciousness, including attempts to rewrite history or erode monuments (attribution: remarks by Tsikhanouskaya).
Ambassador Beshta: a call to mobilize international support
The Belarusian ambassador to this gathering spoke about the enduring imperial mentality within the Russian state and society. He described a pivotal moment in history when future stability depends on collective international action. According to Beshta, the international community must mobilize to support Ukraine, and he noted the gratitude of Ukrainians toward Lithuania, Poland, and other partners who have provided unprecedented backing during difficult times (attribution: ambassador’s address).
Vilnius’s Rossa Cemetery stands as one of Poland’s national necropolises and is the final resting place for many notable figures from Polish, Lithuanian, and Belarusian history. Among those linked to the January Uprising buried there are General Zygmunt Sierakowski, who led rebel forces in Samogitia, and Konstanty Kalinowski, a key independence advocate for Poland and Belarus. In 2019, the remains of January insurgents were laid to rest at Rossa after archaeological work on Vilnius Castle Hill, including those of Sierakowski and Kalinowski, who were captured and executed by Russian authorities.
The January Uprising began on January 22, 1863, with insurgents attacking Russian garrisons within the Kingdom of Poland. The conflict stretched over more than a year and a half, involving thousands of skirmishes and more than a hundred thousand participants. It is remembered as the longest and most extensive 19th-century independence movement, marked by heavy losses, executions, exile to Siberia, and confiscation of property carried out by Russian forces. The historical significance of this uprising continues to be honored as a symbol of national resolve and regional cooperation in the face of coercive power (attribution: historical overview).
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