dovnar-zapol'skiy actively supported the belarusian people's republic (bpr), headed the belarusian chamber of commerce in kiev in 1918 (confirmed by the belarus people's secretariat on 24 april 1918), and prepared the project of the creation of the belarusian university in minsk at the end of march 1918. from may to october 1918, he participated in the work of the bpr's diplomatic mission in kiev, which sought the recognition of the bpr from representatives of soviet russia, ukraine, don, germany and austro-hungary.