{
  "id": 13119064,
  "title": "Art for freedom: Maria Kalesnikava in Bonn",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/art-for-freedom-maria-kalesnikava-in-bonn",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T13:03:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "DW News",
    "slug": "dw-news",
    "url": "https://www.dw.com/en/art-for-freedom-maria-kalesnikava-in-bonn/a-79612009?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Maria Kalesnikava, a Belarusian flautist and activist, spoke at this year's Beethovenfest in Bonn about the importance of art and culture in the face of authoritarianism. Kalesnikava herself spent five years in detention as a political prisoner in Belarus, where she endured solitary confinement. She emphasized that while external freedom can be taken away, it is much harder to control a person's inner freedom, which is protected by art and culture. Kalesnikava highlighted how art provides a space for encounter and tolerance of ambivalence, which is crucial for a free society. She also noted that authoritarian regimes, such as those led by Stalin, Hitler, Putin, and Lukashenko, often view art with distrust. Kalesnikava's resilience and freedom were partly attributed to the music of Beethoven and Bach, which she studied during her imprisonment. During the festival, Kalesnikava participated in a panel discussion and appeared on DW's Russian language show. She currently resides in Berlin, where she is recovering from her experiences and advocating for the over 800 political prisoners in Belarus.",
  "summary": "The Belarusian musician and civil rights activist Maria Kalesnikava held the keynote speech on the importance of art at the 2026 Beethovenfest in Bonn. She also visited DW.",
  "key_points": [
    "Belarusian flautist Maria Kalesnikava speaks at Beethovenfest on art's role in authoritarianism.",
    "Kalesnikava endured five years of political imprisonment in Belarus, including solitary confinement.",
    "Art provides inner freedom and tolerance, crucial for a free society, according to Kalesnikava."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Art for freedom: Maria Kalesnikava in Bonn",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/art-for-freedom-maria-kalesnikava-in-bonn-13123080",
        "published": "2026-10-09T13:03:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}