The common memory is alive. Delegations from the Vitebsk and Pskov regions met at the Mound of Friendship
Delegations and residents of the border regions of neighboring states gathered at this sacred place to pay tribute to the feat of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, partisans and underground fighters, and civilians who fell victim to the genocide of the peoples of the former Soviet Union. On the 81st anniversary of the liberation of our country from the Nazi invaders and the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, people of different ages and nationalities gathered here once again recalled the years of joint struggle against the enemy, inspired the youth by their personal example to devoted service to the Motherland, how to cherish traditions and strengthen cooperation between peoples. Time has proven that our strength lies in our unity. The fact that the meeting participants understood this was evident from the number of delegations and participants, and from the friendly atmosphere on both sides of the state border between the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation.
The Belarusian delegation was represented by the Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Subbotin, Presidential Aide – Inspector for Vitebsk Region Vladimir Yurgevich, Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies Dmitry Demidov, other officials, representatives of labor collectives and the public.
From Russia, the meeting was attended by Governor of the Pskov Region Mikhail Vedernikov, heads of local administrations of neighboring districts, and leaders of public organizations.
The meeting began on Russian soil with the fraternization of delegations and the "Bread and Salt" ceremony. Then, at the chapel of Sergius of Radonezh in the Sebezhsky district, a memorial litany was served, after which the participants laid wreaths of military glory and flowers at the monument to partisan scout Maria Pynto, who was brutally tortured by the fascists on May 15, 1944.
On Belarusian soil, wreaths of military glory and flowers were laid at the monument to the Komsomol underground fighters of the village of Proshki, whose lives became an example of courage and bravery for their descendants. During meetings, discussions, and competitions at the educational and patriotic camp "Kurgan-2025," young people learned little-known pages of the history of the Great Patriotic War. Friendships were forged for many years, strengthening the Union of our states. Friendship bonfires were lit on both sides of the border.
Every year, fewer and fewer of those who fought for our freedom remain. But Kurgan Druzhby remains a meeting place for those who remember the price of Victory.
The memory of those who fell during the Great Patriotic War and veterans who did not live to see this day was honored with a minute of silence and a gun salute. The symbol of the meeting at Kurgan Druzhby was the legendary "Katyusha," which was performed in unison by everyone who came to this place of military glory.
Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Subbotin:
- We have gathered for the 66th time in this iconic place and are singing our common songs. The Kurgan Druzhby is not just a point on the map, it is a symbol, it is a banner that we must carry high. We must be together, we must move only forward.
On this day, various interactive thematic areas and outdoor trade were operating at the Kurgan Druzhby. A field cinema, a reconstructed partisan village with a headquarters, a communication point, and a partisan printing house were deployed on the Belarusian side. A partisan field hospital, a school, a soldier's kitchen with an installation of partisan life, exhibitions of creative works, and expositions of historical museums were "operating".
The Russian side offered interactive game areas, exhibitions dedicated to the patriotic education of youth, and introduced the main patriotic routes of the Pskov region.
As always, after the official part of the event, music and songs sounded near the Kurgan for a long time, the fire of the partisan campfire burned, and friendly greetings and children's voices were heard. The Kurgan Druzhby is a place where memory lives – a pledge of our friendship and peace.
