The rally-requiem "Belarus Remembers. Youth Remembers" was held in Vitebsk
Passing the baton from the Year of Historical Memory to the Year of Peace and Creation, it is important to remember that the well-being and independence of Belarus are built on a strong foundation of memory, the value of peace, and the aspiration to ensure the continuity of generations for the sake of the future.
– The name of the festival is in harmony with the main aspiration of the generation of victors, the memory of whom is preserved by this sacred place, testifying to the greatness of the feat of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War, – noted Vyacheslav Durnov, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee. – No documents or newsreels can convey what our people had to endure then. With immense perseverance and unprecedented heroism, the onslaught of the enemies was held back, for which they took cruel revenge. More than 3,000 cities and villages were burned in the region, and the region lost every third resident. Love for their land and popular unity became the main shield of victory. The roots of Nazism and its poisonous sprouts were destroyed not only by weapons but also by the resilience of our liberators.
The Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee emphasized that the years of military trials and hardships have developed in people a heightened sense of responsibility for peace and order. Today, we see how forces of evil on different continents are trying to take revenge, erase historical truth, whitewash criminals, and impose false heroes on the younger generation.
– This is a true catastrophe of consciousness and conscience. But our people have a different character, we have the gene of winners. And we will not allow attempts to destroy everything to flare up again. In the traditions of Belarusians, and this is especially relevant in the Year of Peace and Creation, is to work on the revival of shrines and the restoration of the names of those who paid with their lives for a peaceful future, – added Vyacheslav Durnov. – It is important that our youth is involved in this cause. And this is the best school of patriotism. May this event serve as a reminder for us of the need to protect our native land and worthily preserve the memory of the past.
– Speaking about the events of the Great Patriotic War, words of gratitude, memory, and unity resonate in our hearts. For me, it is a special honor and responsibility to be at Victory Square. We remember all those who died in concentration camps, who waged their war behind enemy lines in partisan detachments. Thanks to the heroes, we do not know what war is and live under a peaceful sky. The responsibility for the future of the country lies on our shoulders. On behalf of the youth of Vitebsk region, I want to assure you that we will proudly carry the name of our Motherland – the Republic of Belarus, and pass on historical memory and truth from generation to generation, – noted Daria Kazachenko, commander of the student pedagogical detachment "Phoenix".
