Opening the ceremony, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said: “I am proud that the European Parliament has and will always be a force for democracy, equality and solidarity. Today, we pay tribute to the courageous women across Europe who are standing up for the values so many of us, too often, take for granted.”

In her address, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of Belarus’ democratic forces, thanked the EU and its member states for their support for Belarus civil society and media. For Belarusian women, International Women’s Day was not about celebrating but about struggling for peace, justice and democracy. She stressed the need to keep fighting for the release of the more than 1,200 political prisoners, including 155 women. “We continue to fight for the values that define Europe – freedom, security and prosperity”, Ms Tsikhanouskaya added. Expressing strong support for Ukraine, she stressed that the fates of Belarus and Ukraine were deeply intertwined….