Кастусёў дзёньнік

Kastus' Diary Stories of Belarusian Students Participants in the Kastus Kalinouski Program By Lyudmila Asipenka and Katarzyna Kwiatkowska The 2006 tent-camp protest in Minsk is a landmark in Belarus' history. Youths and students took to Kastrychnitskaya Square in March 2006 to protest a rigged presidential election. They pitched up tents and stayed there for several days until police attacked the camp and arrested demonstration participants. Many of those arrested were later expelled from universities and schools. They were offered an opportunity to continue studies in Poland under the Kastus Kalinouski program. Kastus' Diary features life stories by protest participants, reflecting their outlook, assessment of the March 2006 events and Belarusian realities. Each story is different. Each character (there are 15 characters in the book) is special. Memories of childhood, sweet dreams and childish perceptions. But suddenly they found themselves grown-up persons – took part in the protest at the square, were arrested, manhandled by riot police, taken to jail, interrogated, expelled from universities and went to study abroad. The book enables readers to learn more about Belarus through the prism of young storytellers. It gives food for reflection, while the stories told in two languages, Belarusian and Polish, can reach more readers. (N.G.)