12th International Congress for Belarus Studies at Humboldt University
Around 350 experts from the social sciences and humanities are expected to attend the 12th International Congress for Belarus Studies (ICBS) from 25 to 27 September 2025 at Humboldt University in Berlin (HU) to discuss Belarusian history, politics, society and culture in a European and international context. The congress has been held in various European cities since 2011 and is the only place in the world where such a large group of Belarusian academics and leading social figures gather to discuss issues related to Belarus independently.
The congress consists of 13 sections covering the most important areas of the social sciences and humanities, including history, international relations, political science, sociology, linguistics and literary studies. The working languages of the congress are Belarusian, Ukrainian, English, Lithuanian, Polish, German and Russian. Simultaneous interpreting will only be provided for the opening ceremony and the plenary session on the first day.
The interested public is also welcome
In addition to media representatives, the interested public is also invited to attend the more than 70 events and academic panels, in particular the opening on 25 September at 10 a.m., featuring Prof. Dr. Susanne Frank from the Institute for Slavic Studies and Hungarian Studies at HU, among others, and the two subsequent plenary discussions on the following topics: ‘Belarus on the European map. How does the EU see it now, and what can we expect in the near future?’ (10:30 a.m. to 11:50 a.m.) and ‘Belarusian Academic Community 2025: Status, Challenges and Opportunities’ (12:10 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.).
At a glance
When: Thursday, 25 September 2025 to Saturday, 27 September 2025
Where: Opening event on 25 September and subsequent plenary discussions: Lecture Hall 10, Invalidenstra?e 42 (Faculty of Life Sciences), 10115 Berlin (building is located behind the Museum für Naturkunde, access via the courtyard)
Programme and registration: The complete programme can be found on the website of the 12th International Congress for Belarus Studies. Media representatives and guests are requested to register at this link. ?
HU is an academic partner of the organisers from Belarus and Lithuania.
The congress is being organised by the research organisations Palitychnaja Sfera in Minsk (Belarus) and Lietuvos Did?iosios Kunigaik?tyst?s institutas in Kaunas (Lithuania). The academic partner and local organiser is Humboldt University of Berlin, with other partner universities including Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas (Lithuania) and Vilnius University (Lithuania). Research and teaching on Belarus takes place at various faculties at HU: in the Department of Comparative Democracy Research and Political Systems of Eastern Europe (Institute of Social Sciences), at the Institute of Slavic and Hungarian Studies, and at the Chair of Eastern European History.
Further information
- Website of the 12th International Congress for Belarus Studies
- Website of the Institute for Political Science Palitychnaja Sfera (Minsk, Belarus)
- Website of the research organisation Lietuvos Did?iosios Kunigaik?tyst?s institutas (LDKI)
Contact
Prof. Dr. Susanne Frank
Department of East Slavic Literatures and Cultures at the Institute for Slavic Studies and Hungarian Studies at Humboldt-Universit?t zu Berlin
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