Supporters of the Movement For Freedom (MFF) have stitched white-red-white ribbons for the anniversary of the referendum held in Belarus in 1995 that resulted in the authorities changing the national symbols.
One can demonstrate one’s respect for national symbols with such ribbon on these May days (and later, as well), having attached it to car antenna, clothing or, perhaps, to a backpack. A white-red-white ribbon would also look nice tied on one’s forehead as a hair decoration or on a tree near the house entrance.
Ask for the ribbons in the offices of the MFF (Independence Ave. 80-73; tel. +375 17 280 8863) or of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) Party (Charnysheuskaha St 3, tel. +375 17 284 5012).
The white-red-white ribbons will be also distributed by the MFF activists some of these days in different cities and towns of Belarus.
The referendum of 1995 was the first referendum in the history of the independent Belarus. It was held on May 14 on the initiative of President Alaksandr Lukashenka. After the referendum, the Pursuit coat of arms and the white-red-white flag were replaced by the slightly modified symbols of the Belorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (the coat of arms with wheatears and the red-and-green flag). In addition, Russian was given the status of the official language. One can say that another wave of Russification began with that referendum.
