Q&A session titled “Open Microphone with the President” at Minsk State Linguistic University

Information sovereignty is the most important topic from the point of view of ensuring the national security of the state, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko said during a Q&A session titled “Open Microphone with the President” at Minsk State Linguistic University on 22 November.

The event at Minsk State Linguistic University is the third meeting of the head of state with Belarusian students. Minsk State Linguistic University is the second university after Vitebsk State University, which Aleksandr Lukashenko has visited for the first time.

“I have already managed to explore something here, talk to the rector, and the education minister. I can see a special atmosphere in the university and our hall. This is the atmosphere of intercultural dialogue. This is how it should be in a university where a large number of foreigners study. We are proud of this fact,” the President stressed.

The head of state said he was happy to meet with the humanist students of the university. “I have a humanities major myself,” he explained.

According to Aleksandr Lukashenko, information rules the world today. “There has been a lot of talk recently about the threat of WWIII. They say we are on the brink of this disastrous event. Thank God, humanity has still somehow slowed down and has not plunged yet into World War III, but a real information warfare has been going on for a lot time already and this is not just a clash but a full-blown information war,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“This sphere of information, is formed by you, humanities students. You will do it even more actively once you graduate. You, future philologists, teachers, journalists, historians, specialists in other areas, will do it in the most active way,” the Belarusian leader said. “Tomorrow you will bring your ideas and thoughts to school classes or student auditoriums. Someone will start writing books, scientific or journalistic articles. Perhaps, you will become public figures: experts, politicians. Your education opens doors to a wide variety of fields. In this respect, we have a lot to talk about today.”

Aleksandr Lukashenko said that he also had some questions for the students. All of them in one way or another concern the topic of information sovereignty, the most important one from the point of view of ensuring the national security of the state, he added.

"Don't think that your participation is unnoticed. It is you that information propaganda targets primarily. Propaganda of alien values, holidays, traditions, historical concepts. Its purpose is to tear you away from your roots, to make you forget your history. It is important for me to see how you understand the essence of such information sabotage," the President said.

The second topic is geopolitics. The head of state noted that he is open to discussing the global news agenda and that he would like to know how well-informed students are on global matters.

"It is important for me to understand how you see the future of Belarus in a changing world. After all, this is your future, which you will build tomorrow. This is the future of your children," Aleksandr Lukashenko noted. “I would suggest that you do not hesitate to express your ideas. If you, relying on your knowledge and personal experience, see how you can improve the educational process, approaches to working with you, young people, please do not hesitate to voice your proposals. Let’s discuss. Your opinion is very important to me."

The President added that there are no restrictions on the topics and he is ready to answer all questions. "One of the topics for our conversation is changes (the assistants did not outline this topic but I offer to discuss this ). All kinds of changes. This is the topic or topics that we should go over today and talk frankly. Let's discuss this thing. If we talk about changes, what kind of changes do you want? It is easy to demand changes, but it is difficult to identify them, and then implement them. It is you who will effect them," the head of state said.

He noted that now the country is living through a period when one can speak out and express one’s point of view. The answer to the main question will be given on 26 January during the Presidential election in Belarus. “Just do it like people with higher education, cultured, without noise. Do so as not to interfere with others, because each of you has different points of view, and I would like you not to step on the toes of each other while expressing your positions and point of view," the Belarusian leader said.