Tsikhanouskaya awarded Danchyk with the Francysk Skaryna Medal
In New York, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya awarded Belarusian singer and journalist Danchyk (Bahdan Andrusishyn) with the Francysk Skaryna Medal — for his long-standing contribution to the development of Belarusian culture, language, and freedom of speech.
The ceremony took place at the EU representation in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Radio Svaboda reported, citing Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's press service.
"Danchyk infected thousands of people with Belarus through his music. For many, it was precisely through his songs that the Belarusian language became closer, and Belarusian culture became their own," Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya noted.
Danchyk (Bahdan Andrusishyn) was born in 1958 in New York. His father Pavlo is Ukrainian, and his mother Yulia is Belarusian. From childhood, Danchyk knew both Belarusian and Ukrainian languages. In 1981, he graduated from New York University with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism. When he was 16, he attended a Pesnyary concert – the ensemble was touring in America. A year later, Danchyk recorded his first album "Bielarusachka" (Belarusian Girl), which became the first Belarusian disk in the USA. Later, the albums "We Belong Only to You," "I Am Far From You," and "Christmas Songs" were released.
In 1989, he visited Belarus, where he performed concerts. He visited Belarus for concerts a second time in 1996. In 1997, he announced that he was ending his music career and switched to journalism. For many years he worked for the Belarusian Service of Radio Svaboda, including as deputy director.