Belarusian Humanities Lyceum

Belarusian Humanities Lyceum is a private secondary school, formerly located at 21 Kirau Street in Minsk, Belarus.

It was founded on January 15, 1991, as the Yakub Kolas National State Humanities Lyceum, by leading Belarusian intellectuals such as the present Belarusian Language Society Chairman Aleh Trusau, the former BPF leader and linguist Vincuk Viacorka, the famous Belarusian historian Prof. Mikhas Tkachou, the historian of arts Viachaslau Rakitsky, the teacher and film director Uladzimir Kolas, who until now serves as the school's principal. Originally set up as a Sunday school under state control, one of its aims has been to preserve and promote native Belarusian culture, language and humanities. Since then it has evolved into a full-fledged and prestigious institution of its own right. The lyceum became famous for its high quality of instructors, and the high university enrollment rate (88% of its total graduates, despite its total pupil numbers never having exceeded 1000). In addition, students were drawn by the freedom of thought and discussion that was nonexistent in mainstream Belarusian schools. The school attracted visits from prominent artists, writers, philosophers and politicians, especially from 1995 onwards with Alexander Lukashenko as president.

On June 25, 2003, the lyceum was shut down by Belarusian authorities, by decree of president Alexander Lukashenko. In the months that followed, student, parents and teachers fought to keep the school open, both diplomatically and through protest, but to no avail. The lyceum went underground shortly thereafter, becoming a private institution with its present name.

As of September 2012, about 60 teenagers (age 13 to 17) are students of the Lyceum visiting lessons unofficially delivered by 20 teachers in Minsk. Some of its pupils are registered as students of The International School of Gdansk, Poland.

The lyceum was featured in the 2006 documentary A Lesson of Belarusian. The documentary's central character, Franak Viacorka, is a past pupil of the lyceum and the son of its co-founder, Vincuk Viacorka. Uladzimir Kolas, the school principal, is also featured in the documentary.

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