Practicing Care

In recognition of her activities in the name of social freedom and fundamental democratic values, the Mozarteum University awarded Maria Kalesnikava an honorary professorship as part of the long-term project ‘Practicing Care – A Care Network at an Arts University’. After a long wait, Maria Kalesnikava was able to accept her honorary professorship in person on 5 October. She had already been awarded the honorary professorship by the Mozarteum University in autumn 2022, in her absence.

The Belarusian flutist, conductor, cultural manager, and Honorary Professor at Mozarteum University, Maria Kalesnikava, delivered the opening speech at the Salzburg Festival last weekend. Her moving reflections on freedom, responsibility, and the unifying power of music deeply resonated with the audience, underscoring the vital role of culture in challenging times.

The Mozarteum University Salzburg is extremely happy and relieved about the release of its honorary professor Maria Kalesnikava and 122 other political prisoners, including Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of the human rights organisation Viasna, Ales Bjaljazki, from detention in Belarus. Thanks to careful mediation by the USA, Kalesnikava was released from prison on Saturday, 13 October 2025 after almost five years of incarceration in apalling and inhumane conditions.

On 24 April 2024, flautist, democracy campaigner in Belarus and honorary professor at Mozarteum University Maria Kalesnikava will turn 42. However, there has been no sign of life from her for more than a year. Neither her family nor her lawyers are allowed to communicate with her. Despite her fragile state of health following an emergency operation more than a year ago, Maria Kalesnikava is apparently in solitary confinement.

With the solidarity event "Woman_Life_Freedom" in the framework of "Practicing Care", the Mozarteum University wants to contribute to maintaining public attention on the criminal machinations and the "state-sanctioned killings" (according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights) of the Iranian rulers. At the same time, we want to convey an impression of the concerns and diverse forms of protest, which is supported not least by countless artists.

We are deeply saddened and concerned by the news that the imprisoned Belarusian musician and activist Maria Kalesnikava was transferred from her isolation cell in the penal camp to the intensive care unit of a hospital last Monday. Her family also has no information about her health condition so far and is not allowed to visit her. Our thoughts are with her and we wish her a speedy and full recovery.

Since the beginning of the year, the project "Practicing Care" has been focusing on the transnational social responsibility of a university of the arts with a variety of activities. Exemplary for these activities is the awarding of an honorary professorship by the Senate of the Mozarteum University to the Belarusian flautist, pedagogue and civil rights activist Maria Kalesnikava, who was sentenced to 11 years of penal colony in her home country. Dorothee Oberlinger and Olga Shparaga, among others, will participate in the program of the ceremony on October 30.