“Five Artifacts — and Only One Night.” A Visit Worth Making in Person

During his visit today to the exhibition "Five Artifacts — and Only One Night" at the Museum of Free Belarus, Pavel Latushka — Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus and Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management — reflected on the time when he served as Belarus's Minister of Culture from 2009 to 2012. Each year, he received letters from Frédéric Mitterrand, then Minister of Culture of France and a relative of the renowned politician and former President of France François Mitterrand, encouraging Belarusian museums to take part in the European initiative "Night of Museums".

"I am convinced that it is essential for museums both in Belarus and abroad to join such projects. Though we are in exile, we represent Belarusian national culture — its richness, its depth, and its historical legacy. In fact, back then, we reached an agreement with the French Minister of Culture to sign an intergovernmental agreement in 2010 between Belarus and France on cooperation in the fields of culture, education, science, and media — an agreement which was denounced by the Lukashenko regime in 2023.

But culture is eternal. Belarusian culture is a part of Europe’s cultural heritage and its future. Today’s Night of Museums at the Museum of Free Belarus is a testimony to the preservation and development of our culture in exile. Visit the Museum of Free Belarus today to see unique historical artifacts acquired by the Museum and our partners", said Pavel Latushka.

Only today, 17 May, at the Museum of Free Belarus, located at Foksal Street 11 in Warsaw, from 12:00 to 00:00, as part of the international Night of Museums event, visitors will have the chance to view original, rare historical artifacts, including:

• The Statute of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, printed in 1693 — acquired by the MALDZIS initiative with the goal of returning it to Belarus;

• A 1614 edition of "Peregrination" by Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł, purchased by the Belarusian Council for Culture through the efforts of the Belarusian Patrons' Club;

• Two Radziwiłł maps of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 17th century — one acquired by the MALDZIS initiative and the other by the Council for Culture;

• A secret letter from Jan Antoni Horain, Voivode of Brest, written during the First Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and acquired by the Museum of Free Belarus.

In addition to the exhibition "Five Artifacts — and Only One Night", the Museum of Free Belarus will also host other events as part of Night of Museums, including a children’s area called "The Cartographer’s Cabinet" and a concert stage where, at 9:00 PM, there will be performances by artists from different countries, including Belarusian musicians CHORNABROVA and Lera Dele (Koob Dele).

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