Editing Belarusian language (section)

=== 2010s–2020s ===
[[File:Zweisprachiges Schild Weißrussisch Russisch.JPG|thumb|Bilingual Belarusian–Russian sign in Belarusian town [[Rakaw]] in 2014]]
In the 2010s, the situation of Belarusian has started to change slightly due to the efforts of language-advocacy institutions, of individual representatives of such educational, cultural, scientific and linguistic organizations as the [[Francišak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society]], the [[National Academy of Sciences of Belarus]], the {{ill|Union of Belarusian Writers|be|Саюз беларускіх пісьменнікаў}}, and in response to the endeavours of pro-Belarusian public figures from the media and communication field, musicians, philosophers, entrepreneurs and benefactors.<ref name="Brli2010" />

Despite the language losing its exclusive position in the wake of the [[1995 Belarusian referendum]], new signs of the spread of Belarusian have appeared, trickling down into Belarusian society — with advertising campaigns supporting the cause (outdoor billboards promoting<ref name="Brli2010" /> and acquainting people with the Belarusian language, branding campaigns for the leading telecommunication providers like Velcom, etc.), the simplified version of the [[Belarusian Latin alphabet]] on the metro map being introduced into the messages of the transport network, dedicated advertising festivals like AD!NAK upholding marketing communication in Belarusian, and informal language-courses (such as [[Mova Nanova]], Mova ci kava, Movavedy) having sprung up in Minsk and around Belarus and spurring further interest of people, especially of young people, in developing good Belarusian communication skills in [[everyday life]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

President Lukashenko, in his 2014 State of the Nation address, emphasized that losing the ability to speak Belarusian will be losing a part of the country's history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=State of the Nation Address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly &#124; Official Internet Portal of the President of the Republic of Belarus |url=https://president.gov.by/en/events/alexander-lukashenko-to-deliver-state-of-the-nation-address-on-22-april-8550}}</ref>

[[File:WIKITONGUES- Uladzislau speaking Belarusian.webm|thumb|A speaker of Belarusian]]
The [[2019 Belarusian census]] demonstrated that the Belarusian language is perceived as a native language of Belarus by ~60% of its population, however only ~25% use it in their everyday life.<ref name="Coakley" /> The Belarusian language has marginalized status in terms of usage in Belarus, despite being officially recognized as its [[state language]] (along with Russian language).<ref name="DiscriminationVOB" /> The usage of Belarusian in major Belarusian cities is rare.<ref name="Tsurkan">{{cite web |last1=Tsurkan |first1=Kate |date=20 July 2023 |title=In Lukashenko's Belarus, Belarusian culture is not welcome |url=https://kyivindependent.com/in-lukashenkos-belarus-belarusian-culture-is-not-welcome/ |access-date=21 January 2024 |website=[[The Kyiv Independent]]}}</ref> Approximately 95% of Belarusian state operates in the Russian language and the Belarusian language is mostly absent in Belarusian education, state media and government affairs where the main information is provided in Russian.<ref name="DiscriminationVOB" /> For example, in 2011 Russian-language broadcasts on the Belarusian "state package" TV channels accounted for 35,302 hours of air time and highly overshadowed 626 hours of air time in Belarusian-language (only 1.7% of all air time).<ref name="PenBelarus">{{cite web |date=26 September 2022 |title=The Belarusian language in the period of socio-political crisis: signs of linguistic discrimination |url=https://penbelarus.org/en/2022/09/26/belaruskaya-mova-u-peryyad-gramadska-palitychnaga-kryzisu-prayavy-mounaj-dyskryminaczyi.html |access-date=28 January 2024 |website=Penbelarus.org}}</ref> None of the [[List of universities in Belarus|universities in Belarus]] are providing a Belarusian-language education and Belarusian language lessons in schools are declining.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Barushka |first1=Katerina |date=28 January 2015 |title=After decades of Russian dominance, Belarus begins to reclaim its language |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/28/-sp-russian-belarus-reclaims-language-belarusian |access-date=27 January 2024 |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref name="Coakley" /> In 2016, only 13% of pupils in Belarus attended [[elementary school]]s where the language of instruction was Belarusian.<ref name="Kamusella" /> The Belarusian language is still partly used in some cultural, traditional and folklore activities.<ref name="DiscriminationVOB" /> According to Belarusian poet [[Valzhyna Mort]], who grew up in Belarus, the Belarusian language is mocked for its "village sound" and is considered "useless" in Belarus.<ref name="Tsurkan" /> According to Belarusian poet [[Julija Cimafiejeva]], the majority of the books sold in Belarus were imported from Russia in 2019 and in comparison to Russian books the Belarusian language books are not common and mostly are related with educational purposes.<ref name="Tsurkan" /> The annual circulation of Belarusian language literature significantly decreased from 1990 to 2020: magazines (from 312 mil to 39.6 mil), books and brochures (from 9.3 mil to 3.1 mil).<ref name="PenBelarus" />

[[File:Protests in Minsk, Belarus (50391659126).jpg|thumb|Trilingual Belarusian-English-Russian signs during the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests in [[Minsk]]]]
Belarusian speakers in Belarus are viewed as those who are against the Lukashenko's government and politically motivated charges were applied to them.<ref name="Tsurkan" /> In 2020, following the beginning of the [[2020–2021 Belarusian protests]], many Belarusian writers and artists were repressed in Belarus.<ref name="Kamusella" /> In August 2021, Belarusian PEN Centre, Union of Belarusian Writers and the Belarusian Association of Journalists were liquidated and the [[Ministry of Justice (Belarus)|Ministry of Justice of Belarus]] applied for liquidation of the [[Francišak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society]] in the [[Supreme Court of Belarus]].<ref name="Kamusella" /><ref>{{cite web |date=21 August 2021 |title=ТБМ через неделю могут ликвидировать, а вместе с ним газеты "Новы час" и "Наша слова" |url=https://reform.by/251518-tbm-cherez-nedelju-mogut-likvidirovat-a-vmeste-s-nim-gazety-novy-chas-i-nasha-slova |access-date=27 January 2024 |website=Reform.by |language=ru}}</ref>