This year, on June 22, Russia and former Soviet Union republics will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. A lot of events are dedicated to the Day of Memory and Grief, which are aimed at remembering those who lost their lives in the fight against fascism This memorable date becomes even more important today, when there are attempts of glorification of Nazi criminals in different parts of the world and even in the former Soviet Union, in countries that have directly contributed to the defeat of Nazi Germany.
This is the meaning of events, which will be dedicated to the memory about the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the Moscow authorities emphasize. The head of Department of Culture of Moscow, Alexander Kibovsky, believes that their main purpose is to be a reminder "about the events of the war, especially for young children, about heroes of the war, about hero cities, including those hero cities that are not a part of our state today, but we still consider them our twin towns due to the great role that they played during the Great Patriotic War." According Kibovsky, June 22 is "a reason to once again understand the scale of losses suffered by the Russian Federation, by countries that were part of the Soviet Union, and by the entire world in the name of victory over Nazis."
Alexander Kibovsky
'Immortal Regiment - Moscow' project coordinator Nikolai Zemtsov believes that the country still needs to walk through a certain path so that June 22 would take its rightful place in everyday life. However, he hopes that Russian society will be able to understan the symbolism, the entire depth of this day: "I hope that Russia will stand in respectful silence from Kamchatka to Kaliningrad, and June 22 will be another side of the victory - there is joy of victory, and there is grief of victory."
Nikolai Zemtsov
As for the events, 1418 candles will be lit on the evening of June 21 at Crimean promenade in Moscow. Each candle will be lit in honor of one day of the war with a specific date. According to Nikolai Zemtsov, this memory line is a symbolic path that can anyone walk, from the first day of the war to the last: "This is a reason to once again look into your family archives and find the date thanks to which you were born. And this date should be celebrated, it is in this memory line, but first, it is necessary to find it in the documents, and then in those candles at Crimean promenade."
In addition, a pavilion will be deployed in Moscow, where using electronic search you will be to learn the fate of your relatives and ancestors, who died or received award during the Great Patriotic War. "It is the database of deceased and database of those who received awards, orders, medals that were awarded to the participants of the Great Patriotic War posthumously, as well as to those who passed this test. This pavilion will operate all day on June 22. You will be able to come there, learn about the death or awards of a particular war veteran," he said.
3000 participants of various military and patriotic associations and non-governmental organizations will take part in the reconstruction of the last day of war. On the night from June 21 to 22, a solemn march through Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge to Alexander Garden will begin. At 4 o'clock in the morning, hour when the war started, a mourning ceremony dedicated to this sad date will be held: flowers will be laid at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier with the participation of units of the guard of honor.
