A leading voice of the Belarusian opposition sets the tone for the Masterclass

The ninth edition of the Global Actors for Peace Masterclass, organised by the C3RD, Centre for Research on the Relationship between Risk and Law, opened on Monday 22 September 2025 at the Faculty of Law, Université Catholique de Lille.

Over the course of the week, until Friday 26 September, academics, legal professionals, representatives of NGOs and international organisations, alongside members of civil society and students, are gathering to explore the relationship between peace and democracy in a world shaped by political crises, conflict and emerging threats.

The Masterclass was opened with words of welcome from Sarah Durelle-Marc, Dean of the Faculty of Law, joined by Sonia Le Gouriellec, Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Valentina Volpe, Senior Lecturer in Public International Law. Together, they underlined the significance of this now-established annual event which, in nine years, has become an unmissable bilingual international forum.

Their shared message was clear: to question the transformations of democracy in order to understand how best to safeguard it, and, in so doing, to protect peace.

“Are democracies more peaceful? If so, why and how? Are we witnessing a retreat of democracy or simply its evolution? Are new technologies a threat to democracy or a means of preserving it? Do these changes imperil peace within societies and across the world? And can civil society actors and international organisations still exert an influence to enable dialogue between societies and preserve peace?”

These are among the central questions of the 2025 programme, which combines keynote lectures, round-table discussions, a film debate and an exhibition.

A powerful first testimony: Belarus and the courage of citizens

The first session, held via videoconference, featured Veronica Tsepkalo, an eminent figure of the Belarusian opposition and recipient of the European Parliament Sakharov Prize, speaking on the theme “Why we still fight for democracy and its promise for peace?”

Her address, “Belarus: my story, our struggle for peace and democracy” moved the audience. She recounted her commitment during the mass protests that followed the presidential elections of 9 August 2020, elections marred by widespread fraud and won by Alexander Lukashenko, often described as “Europe’s last dictator”. Alongside Svetlana Tikhanovskaya and Maria Kolesnikova, Veronica Tsepkalo came to embody what the international press dubbed the “Women’s Revolution”: a movement in which women, dressed in white and carrying flowers, defied an authoritarian regime with, as she put it, “the power of voice, negotiation and love”.

Veronica Tsepkalo recalled the chilling statistics of repression: more than 40,000 arrests, 1,320 political prisoners (including 201 women) and several deaths. Yet despite the brutality, thousands of Belarusians continued to demonstrate for months, demanding free elections and an end to state violence.

Understanding in order to act

By giving the floor to a direct witness of these events, the Global Actors for Peace Masterclass underscores both the fragility of democracy in the face of authoritarian regimes and the resilience of civil society. Tsepkalo‘s testimony perfectly reflects the guiding theme of this week: to identify the legal, political and social levers capable of safeguarding democracy in times of crisis.

The 2025 Masterclass continues until 26 September, offering a unique forum for exchange and analysis on the future of democracy and peace.