A meeting of veterans from Belarus, Russia, and Latvia at the Mound of Friendship will take place today in the Verkhnedvinsk district

July 4, Vitebsk /BELTA/. Veterans from Belarus, Russia, and Latvia will meet today for the 51st time at the Mound of Friendship, located on the border of the three countries. This year, the Belarusian side is hosting the guests, and the main events of the meeting will take place in the Verkhnedvinsk district, as reported to the correspondent by the department of ideological work of the district executive committee. According to tradition, the commemorative event will begin with a procession of veteran columns from the territories of the three countries along paths to the Mound of Friendship. At the solemn rally, the participants of the meeting will remember their combat comrades and honor their memory with a minute of silence. The official part of the celebrations will continue with a ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the monuments to the Komsomol heroes of the village of Proshki, located on the Belarusian side, and Hero of the Soviet Union Maria Pyntho in Russia. Latvian veterans will lay flowers on behalf of the meeting participants at the monument to Hero of the Soviet Union Imants Sudmalis, erected on Latvian soil. The ensemble of dance, music, and song "Talaka" of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic and the choir "Veteran" of the Verkhnedvinsk District House of Culture will perform for the participants of the meeting. The concluding chord of the meeting will be an evening of memories around an improvised Friendship bonfire, in the lighting ritual of which representatives of Belarus, Russia, and Latvia will traditionally take part. The delegations of the three countries will include participants from youth organizations, and it is possible that cooperation between the youth of the Sebezh and Verkhnedvinsk districts in various areas of public life will originate on Belarusian soil. Exhibition areas will be set up at the meeting site, featuring an exhibition of photographs "Faces of Victory," creative works by students of the district, and a book exhibition dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. In addition, trade rows will be organized for veterans and members of official delegations, where they can learn about and purchase a variety of products from enterprises of the Vitebsk region. A total of about 1,000 people are expected to participate in the commemorative meeting of veterans. By tradition, the meetings are held on the first Sunday of July, alternating between the territories of the three countries. The Mound of Friendship was built in 1959 on the border of the three republics – Belarus, Russia, and Latvia – in honor of the combat camaraderie of partisans and underground fighters. The earth for the Mound was taken from the graves of partisans and Red Army soldiers who gave their lives for the Motherland; an oak tree grows at its summit as a symbol of the unbreakable friendship of the three peoples. Three granite slabs are embedded in the Mound, inscribed in three languages: "The Mound of Friendship is erected at the junction of the borders of three fraternal republics in honor of the combat friendship, cemented by blood during the Great Patriotic War by Russian, Belarusian, and Latvian partisans. Opened on July 3, 1959." Three alleys extend from the Mound: the alley towards Belarus is planted with birches, towards Russia – with maples, and towards Latvia – with lindens. At the end of the birch alley, on the territory of the Verkhnedvinsk district (Vitebsk region), there is a memorial museum dedicated to the partisan movement.-0-