[1] The music of the Belarusian SSR anthem was composed by Niescier Sakałowski and the lyrics were written by Michas Klimkovič.

New lyrics, which were written by Klimkovič and Uładzimir Karyzna,[2] were adopted by a presidential decree issued on 2 July 2002.

"My, Biełarusy" was originally used as the anthem of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic starting from 24 February 1955.

[3] When Belarus became an independent country, the national anthem was modified to drop the Communist-era lyrics.

An attempt was made in 1995 to adopt Natallia Arsiennieva's poem "Mahutny Boža" as the national anthem, but the suggestion was not acted on even though it was supported by a parliamentary committee.

[6] According to the newspaper Soviet Byelorussia, President Lukashenko decided on the anthem on 12 June 2002 and chose to have its first performance on Independence Day, the anniversary of the date in 1944 when the Wehrmacht was driven away from Minsk by the Red Army.

[7] However, the first performance actually took place on 2 July at a concert organized by the government as part of the Belarusian independence festivities.

When Lukashenko issued his decree selecting a new national anthem, only slight changes were made to the Soviet-era hymn.

While the references to Russia, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and Vladimir Lenin were replaced; the overall theme of "friendship of peoples" and the original music composed by Sakałowski were preserved.

On page 125 of the "Country Report of Belarus", Freedom House says that President Lukashenko has "reintroduced the state symbols used by the old Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The report also mentioned President Lukashenko's ban of the symbols that were used since Belarus's independence in 1991, such as the Pahonia arms and the white-red-white flag, which Lukashenko claims are associated with fascism (due to pro-Nazi Belarusian Central Rada usage during World War II).

Kuzio said that the motives of Russia and Belarus in re-adopting Soviet-era symbols are part of restoring that nostalgia.

While the anthem is being performed, citizens are required to stand at attention and those in military or police uniform must to be in Full Russian-style hand salute (if not in formation).

Since 1919, the song has been used as an anthem of Belarus by the Belarusian diaspora in Western Europe and North America, as well as in countries like Australia and Brazil.

[12] The song "Pahonia", based on the poem by Maksim Bahdanovič and set to music by Mikałaj Ščahłow-Kulikovič, has been performed a capella during the 2020 Belarusian protests and experienced a resurged popularity following them.

[15][16][17] A favourite in the anthem competition was the poem called "Małaja Biełaruś" ('Young Belarus') by Janka Kupała.

'), with lyrics by Uładzimir Niaklajew and music by Vasil Rainčyk, won a 1992 non-binding contest and was occasionally used afterwards.

Прыпеў My, biełarusy – mirnyja ludzi, Sercam addanyja rodnaj ziamli, Ščyra siabrujem, siły hartujem My w pracavitaj, volnaj siamji.

Гордо ж возвейся в ясные выси, Знамя победное – радости флаг!