European Humanities University to receive Atlantic Council Freedom Award
EHU was founded in Minsk in 1992 to reinvigorate
teaching and research in the humanities and social sciences and to promote the
principles of liberal education in Belarus, including critical thinking,
creativity, and personal responsibility.
After standing up against increasingly authoritarian measures that would have
severely compromised its academic freedom and independence, EHU was forcibly
closed by the Belarusian government in 2004.
Thanks to a wellspring of international donor support and an invitation from
the government of neighboring Lithuania, EHU was able to reestablish itself in
Vilnius, where it continues to serve Belarusian students and scholars, making
it Europe’s only university-in-exile.
Today, EHU is the only Belarusian university where Belarusian students and
scholars can study and conduct research freely and be active without fear of
negative repercussions. The majority of EHU faculty come from Belarus and the
majority of EHU alumni reside there, where they apply their skills and
knowledge in business, non-profit organizations, and the independent media.
The Atlantic Council is a U.S.-based institution devoted to promoting
transatlantic cooperation. The Atlantic Council’s Freedom Awards recognize
extraordinary individuals and organizations that embody the organization’s
mission to strengthen the Atlantic community’s call to leadership on global
values.
Source: www.baltic-course.com
