Franak is a frequent speaker and an advocate for democracy and personal freedom.
Franak Viačorka is Belarusian politician and journalist. He is president of the Digital Communication Network and nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center and journalist from Belarus. Viačorka is a frequent speaker and advocate for democracy and personal freedom. For his activism and journalism work in Belarus, he was jailed multiple times by the Belarusian government.
Viačorka's activism in Belarus has been chronicled by documentary filmmakers and recognized by many international organizations.
He graduated with an MA from American University in Washington DC and a BA from Warsaw University in Poland. He also studied at Belarus State University, Georgetown University, and European Humanities University.
Viva Belarus! was co-written by Franak Viačorka with director Krzystof Lukaszewicz and depicts the life of nonconformist youth living in "Europe's last dictatorship." Watch here
Directed by Luigi Milardi, Made in By tries to look inside Europe's last dictatorship using the field of art as access-key to enter the belarusian society. Watch here
Directed by Mark Byrne and Rob Dennis, "Under the Hood" documentary brings us on a journey through Belarus. Watch here
Speaking Engagements:
Franak Viacorka is a frequent speaker on various topics, including Global Media, Digital Marketing, Democracy Building, Cyber Security and Global Threats, Social Media and Media Management, Digital Activism
January 2020
19-26 - Mobile video journalism training, Chisinau, Moldova
24 - SMM key trends 2020, Chisinau, Moldova
December 2019
2 - Training for Liga.net, News Agency, Kyiv, Ukraine
16-17 - Digital Storytelling for Social Impact, Sofia, Bulgaria
November 2019
1-3 - "Media Activism in the Digital Reality", Presentation, New Leaders Initiative, Tbilisi, Georgia
4-5 - Training to Increase Digital and Communication skills (in collaboration with GLOBSEC), "Empowering Civil Society Organisations in Central and Eastern Europe", Bratislava, Slovakia
8 - Media literacy week, Thessaloniki, Greece
12-13 - Megaphone 2019, Budapest, Hungary
14-16 - Swedish Forum for Human Rights, Linkoping, Sweden
20 - Helsinki Commission Hearing, Washinghton, USA
24-27 - Digital security for journalists, Training in Kilkis, Greece
29-30 - Digital Media for National Public Broadcaster in collaboration with Deutsche Welle, Kyiv, Ukraine
October 2019
1 - "Social media that work for you", Presentation / meetup in Minsk, Belarus
3 - "Humor and Satire against Dictatorship", Alba Iulia, Romania
7 - "Building Influence Online", Training/Meetup, Cluj, Romania
12 - "Memes and cartoons for Social Change", Minsk, Belarus
14 - "Media and New Digital Reality", Forum 2000, Prague, Czech Republic
19 - Host at the Media literacy solutions forum, Minsk, Belarus
25 - "Memes and Cartoons for Social Change" and "Digital Trends for Activists and Journalists", presentations, at the CampCamp, Chisinau, Moldova
September 2019
1-3 - "Media Activism in the Digital Reality", Presentation, New Leaders Initiative, Tbilisi, Georgia
6-7 - Humour and games for social impact forum, Yerevan, Armenia
9-10 - USAGM training, Yerevan, Armenia
12-14 - Presentation on "Instagram Stories for News Media", Online News Association Conference, New Orleans, USA
18 - Lecture on the Media in the Eastern Europe to Ohio University students, USA
19 - "Russification vs Westernization", Lecture at the Institute of World Politics, Washinghton DC, USA
23 - CEPA forum, Washinghton DC, USA
27 - "Building influence. How social media empower your agenda", Presentation / meetup in Kyiv, Ukraine
29 - Idea generation camp, Minsk, Belarus
August 2019
4 - school of "Za svabodu" movement, Białystok, Poland
11 - Urban Fellowship, Minsk, Belarus
14 - Young reformators school, Minsk, Belarus
15-16 - "Media Activism in the Digital Reality", Presentation, New Leaders Initiative, Tbilisi, Georgia
23-24 -"Media Activism in the Digital Reality", Presentation, New Leaders Initiative, Tbilisi, Georgia