Let’s mark together the Day of solidarity with civil society and human rights movement in Belarus!

August 4th is the day marked by democratic activists around the world as the Day of solidarity with civil society and human rights movement in Belarus.

The campaign was initiated back in 2012 by a coalition of non-governmental organizations from different countries to show solidarity with the civil society of Belarus and express moral support to human rights defenders and civil society activists who continue their work in the country. The International Day of Solidarity was launched to mark the day when in 2011 Ales Bialiatski, famous Belarusian human rights activist, was arrested.

“We will observe this day every year, until the situation of civil society in Belarus changes: until its authorities put an end to imprisoning people for human rights activities, until there is a guarantee of fundamental human rights: freedom of expression, assembly and association,” says the campaign’s Manifesto.

Activists, human rights defenders and people of goodwill from more than 20 countries around the world are united to express solidarity with the people who are fighting for freedom in conditions of constant pressure and harassment. To do this, they prepare and distribute awareness-raising leaflets, stage pickets and flash mobs, arrange film screenings, debates, exhibitions, write postcards to political prisoners.

Today, each of us can join the action # 4Aug and support the Belarusian civil society.

What can you do on the 4th of August?

• Join the Action’s public accounts on Facebook, VKontakte and Twitter: com/bysoliday, facebook.com/bysoliday, twitter.com/soli_days.
• Spread information about the International Day of Solidarity with the Civil Society in Belarus in your blog, through social networks, on the website, etc. and invite people to join in.
• Put up a banner of the Action on your information resource.
• Spread a cornflower as a main symbol of action:
  - Change your avatar in the social networks to include the symbol of the Day or place and inspirational quote on it with your photo,
  - Give a cornflower (paper or real one in pot) to people whom you know with a short story about Day of Solidarity.
• Put up messages and posts on the topic of the action and communicate about your actions on Twitter and Facebook or other social networking websites (with the hashtag #4Aug).
• Tell about people and organizations, who with their own actions create artistic, activist, ecological, and other alternatives.

You can find more details on the website of the Campaign.