Vyacheslav Volodin Called it a Duty of Generations to Preserve the Memory of the Great Patriotic War

On June 22, a plenary session of the Great Heritage - Common Future International Forum was held in Brest.

The event is dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War and is being held at the initiative of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia.

The event began with a national minute of silence.

"I cordially welcome you to the hospitable Belarusian land. It is symbolic that the Forum is being held in the city of Brest, which 85 years ago was the first to receive the blow of the Nazi war machine, demonstrating to the world the greatness of the spirit and the invincibility of the Soviet soldier, according to a welcoming message from Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. "The price of the Great Victory is tens of millions of lives lost. Belarus lost every third person. By uncovering new facts about the genocide of the Belarusian people, we are giving a legal assessment of the Nazi crimes in order to protect the memory of the innocent victims and the soldiers who performed this great feat."

In his greeting to the forum participants, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the importance of the bonds of brotherly friendship and mutual assistance that were forged on the battlefields of the Great Patriotic War, and how these bonds are helping Russians and Belarusians to develop multifaceted cooperation, build the Union State together, and defend their legitimate interests in the international arena.

Vyacheslav Volodin, Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia, spoke at the forum and emphasized the importance of preserving the memory of the Great Patriotic War for future generations. He emphasized that Soviet soldiers died but did not give up. This is what the inscription on the wall of the Brest Fortress says. "The officers did everything they could to protect their homeland, their families, and future generations from the German fascist invaders. It is thanks to their heroic deeds that we can live and plan for the future," said Vyacheslav Volodin.

Igor Sergeenko, First Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia and Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, said that more than 200 journalists from various countries were working at the forum.

“We are glad to see sincere friends of Belarus in the heroic city on the Bug River, people who share our respect for the legacy of the generation of victors and our desire to build a common future for all countries and peoples on this foundation,” said Igor Sergeenko.

As a reminder, the forum is attended by parliamentary delegations from 16 countries, including representatives of the parliaments of the CSTO countries, friendly states in Europe, Asia, and Latin America, public figures, representatives of the scientific community, and experts. The participants discuss key issues related to preserving shared historical memory, countering attempts to falsify it, and the significance of the Great Victory in the modern world.