Ukraine conflict hits Napoleonic war re-enactment in Belarus – The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel

Report on the 2023 Battle of Berezina Re-enactment and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A historical re-enactment of the 1812 Battle of Berezina was held in Barysaw, Belarus, involving over 200 participants. This report analyzes the event through the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting significant setbacks in achieving goals related to peace, partnership, and the protection of cultural heritage. The 2023 commemoration was marked by the exclusion of international participants from Western Europe, a direct consequence of the ongoing regional conflict, thereby undermining the principles of global cooperation and peace-building.

Analysis of SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The event demonstrates a significant regression from the objectives of SDG 16, which aims to promote peaceful and inclusive societies. The re-enactment, once a symbol of international historical interest, has become a reflection of contemporary geopolitical divisions.

Erosion of International Peace and Inclusivity

• For the first time in recent history, the re-enactment featured no participants from Western Europe.
• Participation was limited to history enthusiasts from Russia and Belarus, a direct result of the regional conflict initiated in February 2022.
• This exclusivity contradicts the goal of fostering inclusive societies, transforming a potentially unifying cultural event into a display of fractured international relations.

Symbolism of Division

1. An official ceremony with Belarusian military personnel was held exclusively at the monument for Tsarist troops.
2. A separate, unofficial gathering by a few re-enactors took place at the memorial for Napoleon’s troops, indicating a lack of unified commemoration.
3. The event’s context, occurring near an active conflict zone, was noted by spectators who drew parallels between the historical re-enactment and the realities of modern warfare.

Impact on SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The re-enactment highlights the fragility of international partnerships in the face of conflict, directly challenging the core tenets of SDG 17. The breakdown of cultural exchange illustrates a failure to maintain and revitalize global partnerships for sustainable development.

Disruption of Cross-Border Cultural Collaboration

• Participants reported that their historical re-enactment societies are no longer able to travel to events in Europe.
• Communication with international colleagues has been relegated to online platforms, diminishing the collaborative spirit of such events.
• The absence of a diverse international presence undermines the event’s potential to serve as a platform for cross-cultural dialogue and partnership.

Implications for SDG 11 and SDG 4

The event and its surrounding circumstances present challenges to the safeguarding of cultural heritage (SDG 11) and the provision of inclusive education (SDG 4).

Vulnerability of Cultural Heritage (SDG 11)

1. While the re-enactment aims to preserve the tangible history of the 1812 campaign, its integrity is compromised by political conflict.
2. The cancellation of another significant historical commemoration, the Battle of Borodino re-enactment, due to the “danger of drone attacks” underscores the direct threat that modern conflict poses to the protection and celebration of cultural heritage.

Limitations on Quality Education (SDG 4)

• Historical re-enactments serve as a valuable, informal educational tool. A participant, identified as a history teacher, expressed a desire for the event to regain its international scale to unite people through history.
• The current mono-regional composition risks presenting a narrowed historical narrative, failing to provide the inclusive and comprehensive educational experience that a multi-national event would offer.

1. SDGs Addressed in the Article

Detailed Explanation

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  This goal is central to the article, which describes how an ongoing armed conflict (“Moscow’s offensive against its neighbour”) and geopolitical tensions have directly impacted a cultural event. The cancellation of another re-enactment due to the “danger of drone attacks” and the general atmosphere of conflict described by a spectator (“terrifying when the shots are fired”) highlight a situation contrary to the goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article clearly illustrates a breakdown in international partnerships. The historical re-enactment, which previously had international participation, now involves “no one from western Europe.” It explicitly states that re-enactment societies “could no longer travel to events in Europe,” signifying a disruption of the civil society partnerships and cultural exchanges that are essential for fostering global understanding and cooperation.

2. Specific Targets Identified

Detailed Explanation

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

  The article implicitly addresses this target by referencing the ongoing armed conflict. Phrases like “Moscow’s offensive against its neighbour,” the “danger of drone attacks from Ukraine,” and a spectator’s fear of a real conflict “across the border in Ukraine” all point to the existence of violence that this target aims to reduce.

• Target 16.a: Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, to build capacity at all levels… to prevent violence.

  The article demonstrates a failure to achieve this target by highlighting the collapse of international cooperation. The absence of European participants and the inability of historical societies to travel show a breakdown in the very international relationships that could foster peace and prevent violence, making Russia a “pariah in Europe.”

• Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.

  The historical re-enactment societies represent a form of civil society partnership. The article details how this partnership has been fractured along geopolitical lines. The event, once a platform for international collaboration among history enthusiasts, is now limited to participants from “Russia and its ally Belarus,” directly showing a regression in effective international civil society partnerships.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied

Detailed Explanation

The article does not cite official SDG indicators but provides qualitative information that can serve as indicators of progress (or lack thereof) towards the targets.

• Existence of armed conflict and related security threats: The article’s references to “Moscow’s offensive,” the cancellation of an event due to the “danger of drone attacks,” and the proximity to the “conflict across the border in Ukraine” serve as direct indicators of a lack of peace and security (relevant to Target 16.1).
• Restrictions on international participation in cultural events: The statement that the re-enactment “involved no one from western Europe” and that societies “could no longer travel to events in Europe” is a clear, measurable indicator of the breakdown in international cooperation and partnerships (relevant to Targets 16.a and 17.17).
• Exclusion from international forums and activities: The article notes that the conflict has “made the Kremlin a pariah in Europe and beyond.” This isolation, reflected in the limited participation at the event, acts as an indicator of weakened global partnerships (relevant to Target 17.17).

4. Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: gjsentinel.com