4th Raman Skirmunt Belarusian-Polish Expert Forum

Report on the 4th Raman Skirmunt Belarusian-Polish Expert Forum

The 4th Raman Skirmunt Belarusian-Polish Expert Forum was held in Warsaw on June 18–19, 2026. The first public day of the Forum took place at the University of Warsaw Library, while the second, closed expert day was hosted by the Centre for Eastern Studies named Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich im. Marka Karpia.

On June 18, the public part of the Forum gathered 80 participants representing the Belarusian and Polish academic communities, NGOs, as well as media. The programme included presentations and discussions on:

• The influence of the “Russian world” in Belarus;
• Scenarios for Belarus after a potential peace settlement in Ukraine;
• Public opinion in Poland regarding Belarus and Belarusians;
• Belarusian translation of Hanna Engelking’s book Kołchoźnicy. Antropologiczne studium tożsamości mieszkańców białoruskiej wsi na przełomie XX i XXI wieku.

Special attention was given to the presentation of the results of the sociological study on Polish (citizens) public opinion regarding Belarus and Belarusians, prepared by the Institute “Political Sphere”. The study was conducted within the framework of the “Strengthening Independent Belarusian Social, Political and Economic Research”. The presentation became one of the key elements of the programme, providing an evidence-based foundation for further expert discussion on Belarusian-Polish relations, mutual perceptions, and the prospects for cooperation between Polish society and Belarusian democratic and civic actors.

On June 19, the closed expert part of the Forum brought together 60 participants, including representatives of the Belarusian and Polish academic communities, NGOs, media, and institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland. The second day was devoted to in-depth expert discussions on the following topics:

• The status of Belarusian-Polish relations in facts and figures, 2025–2026;
• Prospects for the renewal of dialogue between Warsaw and Minsk in the reflections of former ambassadors of the Republic of Poland to Belarus;
• Society and public opinion: what Poles think about Belarusians;
• Economic links between Belarus and Poland: migration and business (in cooperation with BEROC);
• The potential of Belarusian culture in Poland: problems, trends, and solutions.

The Forum provided an important space for dialogue between Belarusian and Polish experts at a time when bilateral relations remain complicated and require continuous expert attention. It contributed to the strengthening of ties between the Belarusian and Polish academic, analytical, civic, media, and political communities, and confirmed the need for regular consultations and exchanges of views on the future of Belarusian-Polish cooperation.

The results of the Forum and the sociological study prepared by the Institute “Political Sphere” received wide coverage in Belarusian independent media, including Belsat, Zerkalo, and other outlets. This media attention helped to broaden the public reach of the Forum and to introduce the findings of the study into the wider Belarusian public debate.

Organizing the forum also faced a number of practical difficulties. The most significant challenge was finding a suitable venue for the event, as several state institutions refused to cooperate with the Belarusian sector. For example, the Warsaw Academy of Sciences refused to host the forum because Belarusian experts were listed as extremists and/or terrorists.

Organizers and partners: Institute “Political Sphere” (Belarus), Centre for Eastern Studies named Ośrodek Studiów Wschodnich im. Marka Karpia (Poland), Centre for European Transformation (Belarus), and the Institute for Development and Social Market in Belarus and Eastern Europe (Belarus).