The Face of Belarus / Mieszko Stanislawski

Belarus - the last European dictatorship. In European media Belarus has the face of Lukashenko - its president and one and only sovereign. We know a lot about persecution of political opposition, the lack of freedom of expression, about students expelled from universities for taking part in opposition rallies, but we would never think that in this police state one can find true hippies.
On 12-27th of June 2010 took place the first Rainbow Gathering in Belarus.
Rainbow Gatherings...
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Belarus - the last European dictatorship. In European media Belarus has the face of Lukashenko - its president and one and only sovereign. We know a lot about persecution of political opposition, the lack of freedom of expression, about students expelled from universities for taking part in opposition rallies, but we would never think that in this police state one can find true hippies.
On 12-27th of June 2010 took place the first Rainbow Gathering in Belarus.
Rainbow Gatherings are temporary intentional communities espousing and practicing hippie ideals of freedom, peace, love, harmony and community. Gatherings take place annually in many countries in the world. Since the first Gathering in 1972 in USA, they have always been more or less in conflict with authorities as Rainbow people believe that government systems are bad because they are out of harmony with the planetís natural systems and are unhealthy.
Belarussian hippies being permanently watched by uniforms and plainclothes, managed to find their own little zone of freedom. Rainbow Gathering in Belarus is like a fire in the water - the fulfilment of freedom in regime.

© Mieszko Stanislawski / Babel Images
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