Palace of the Grand Dukes Displays Belarusian Cultural Institutions Amid Severed Ties

Exhibits at Vilnius's Palace of the Grand Dukes currently feature information stands that include Belarusian cultural institutions, listing them as international partners. This display has raised questions, as museum officials assert that all official ties with Russia and Belarus were severed years ago.

According to representatives of the Palace of the Grand Dukes, cooperation with Russian cultural institutions ceased in 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crimea and intervention in eastern Ukraine. Subsequently, ties with Belarusian institutions were terminated after the political events in Belarus in 2020. The museum maintains that there have been no connections with these states or their institutions in any form since those times.

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We severed cooperation with Russian cultural institutions in 2014 when Vladimir Putin's regime attacked Ukraine – annexed Crimea and entered the Donbas region. After the political events in Belarus in 2020, cooperation with this country was also terminated. Since then, we have had no ties with these states or their institutions in any form.

Despite these declarations, the current stands display photographs and names of Belarusian institutions, including the National Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve "Nesvizh" and the Grodno State Historical and Archaeological Museum. These are presented alongside partners from Italy and Poland, indicating ongoing collaboration. Museum officials explained that the images from the Grodno and Nesvizh museums remain on the stands as a visual record of institutions that contributed to the restoration of the Palace of the Grand Dukes.

The presence of these Belarusian institutions on the stands, even as a historical reference, contrasts with the stated policy of severed ties. This situation highlights the complexities of managing international cultural relations in the current geopolitical climate, particularly concerning institutions from countries involved in regional conflicts or facing political scrutiny.

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The photographs of the Grodno and Nesvizh museums are on the museum's stands as a visual list of cultural institutions that contributed to the restoration of the Palace of the Grand Dukes.