The Maldzis initiative, together with the Swiss charitable Maria Magdalena Radziwill Foundation, produced a foundation and a new memorial plaque for the monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko in Solothurn, Switzerland. The solemn unveiling of the updated monument is planned for autumn.
A foundation made from a Belarusian boulder and a new memorial plaque for the monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko in Solothurn, Switzerland. April 27, 2026. Biała Podlaska, Poland. Photo: Maldzis / Tatsiana Kapitonava
The project has been underway since 2024. Thanks to the support of the Swiss Ambassador to Belarus, Christine Honegger-Zolotukhin, the project was coordinated with the Solothurn city administration.
The initiator of the monument's renovation was the head of the Maria Magdalena Radziwill Foundation, Ales Sapeha, who installed the monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko in Switzerland back in 2017.
Monument to Tadeusz Kościuszko, which appeared there in 2017. Solothurn, Switzerland. Photo: Maldzis
“When we installed the monument in 2017, we thought we were creating a Belarusian point on the map of Switzerland. Now, when a stone from Belarus appears under the monument, the connection between our countries will also become physical.”
The boulder was transported from Belarus at the beginning of 2026. Before being sent to Switzerland, the stone was stored at a Polish company's warehouse in Biała Podlaska. Representatives of the Polish Kościuszko Foundation (Polska Fundacja Kościuszkowska) — Leszek Marek Krześniak and Ryszard Boś — greatly contributed to such a favorable attitude towards the project.
“This project reminds us that Belarusian history is deeply rooted in Europe, and today's divisions do not sever this connection. With their support for such initiatives, our patrons express respect for both the national heritage and our shared history with Europe,” says Hryhor Astapenia, curator of the Maldzis project.
From left to right: Yaroslav Mystkovsky, Mariusz Niczyparuk, and Pavel Matsukevich. Below: Ryszard Boś. Biała Podlaska, Poland. Photo: Maldzis
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