Representatives of the Belarusian diaspora in the U.S. have had a bicycle ride in New York under white-red-white flags on the occasion of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Belarus’ nationhood.
On 19 September 1991, the white-red-white flag and emblem Pahonya (Pursuit) were officially recognized state symbols of the Republic of Belarus. Such resolution was passed by the Supreme Soviet of the 12th convocation after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But after the 1995 referendum, they were replaced by those reminiscent of Soviet symbolism. The white-red-white flag has been often associated with the opposition to the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka.
The route ran through Times Square and Broadway to Bowlin Green Park.
In Bowlin Green, a white-red-white flag was solemnly raised on iconic flagpost: it was here where the U.S. flag was run up in 1783 when British troops had to leave Manhattan as a result of the American Revolutionary War.
March 25, 2018 will be the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of the Belarusian People’s Republic. It came into existence at the end of the First World War, when Bolshevik forces left Minsk and the city was occupied by German troops. On March 25, 1918 the Provisional Government (Rada) proclaimed the independence of the BNR. After the Red Army re-entered Minsk, the Communist government replaced the Rada; its members had to emigrate.
