Applicants for European Humanities University Up Despite Increased Harassment

The 2007-2008 academic year began on October 1st for the European Humanities University, the MacArthur-funded Belarusian university-in-exile located in Vilnius, Lithuania.  An incoming class of 216 joins EHU, bringing the total number of residential and distance-learning students to well over one thousand.  The number of applications for EHU has risen considerably, in spite of increased harassment of current and prospective students by the Belarusian authorities in recent months.  Lloyd Axworthy and Jonathan Fanton, as Co-Chairs of a MacArthur-organized International Support Committee for EHU, recently sent three letters – a message of support to EHU students, faculty, and staff; a letter of thanks to the European Commission for its renewal of substantial funding for EHU; and a letter to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka protesting the treatment of EHU students, many of whom must commute regularly from Belarus to Lithuania to attend classes, and are vulnerable to interrogations at the border crossing.