Kochanova: Memory Train will be milestone event in 2024
14 February 2024
MINSK, 14 February (BelTA) – The joint Belarusian-Russian cultural and educational patriotic campaign Memory Train enjoyed a great success and will be held at a high level in 2024, Chairperson of Council of Republic Natalya Kochanova said at the opening meeting of the organizing committee of the project, BelTA has learned.
The event was attended by the members of the Presidium of the Council of the Republic, the heads of the state government bodies and organizations, representatives of all regions of the country (via videoconference).
The Memory Train project was launched at the initiative of the Council of Belarus and the Federation Council of Russia in 2022. "We have held this monumental youth program for two years already. It enjoyed great success and we see how interested the young people of both countries are," Natalya Kochanova noted. "It is an opportunity for Russian youth to get acquainted with the history of Belarus, to see our cities, and for our young people to get to know theirs. This is what brings us closer."
The project involves 200 students. Initially it involved only representatives of Russia and Belarus, however students from Kyrgyzstan and Armenia also joined the project afterwards. The geography of cooperation will expand in 2024, as CIS countries received the invitations to join the project. Azerbaijan has already confirmed its participation, and cooperation with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is still being discussed.
Natalya Kochanova called developing the route across the regions one of the top priorities. The Belarusian regions and Minsk are already working on it. The committee also discussed the process of selecting children, tailoring uniforms for them, providing medical care, food, security measures, setting up billboards, organizing an exhibition of photos taken during the visits to memorable places in Belarus and Russia. The chairperson also pointed out the need to arrange a wide assortment of souvenirs along the route.
The Memory Train patriotic project will kick off in Brest on 21-22 June. "The campaign starts in Brest, Brest Fortress. This is a tradition that will never change. When you meet the students, you can see how proud they are to participate. This project is an opportunity for them to communicate, share their experiences, and make friends. This is very important."
The project should include not only visits to memorable, iconic places of Belarus, but also present the country’s modern history, economic achievements, Natalya Kochanova noted. The main emphasis will be made on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders in 2024.
Memory Train passed through seven cities of Belarus and Russia from 21 June to July 3 in 2022. The participants also visited the Patriot park in Moscow Oblast. The route included Brest, Grodno, Vitebsk, Smolensk, Rzhev, Vyazma, Kubinka, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, Orsha, Mogilev, Gomel, and Minsk. The train arrived at the final destination on 3 July, Independence Day of Belarus.
In 2023, Memory Train traveled through fourteen cities of Belarus and Russia from 21 June to 6 July. The children visited the landmarks of Grodno, Zhlobin, Mogilev, Polotsk, Minsk, St. Petersburg, Ufa, Samara, Moscow, Tula and Volgograd.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has met with the project participants on Independence Day at the Mound of Glory, and this has now become another Memory Train tradition.
The event was attended by the members of the Presidium of the Council of the Republic, the heads of the state government bodies and organizations, representatives of all regions of the country (via videoconference).
The Memory Train project was launched at the initiative of the Council of Belarus and the Federation Council of Russia in 2022. "We have held this monumental youth program for two years already. It enjoyed great success and we see how interested the young people of both countries are," Natalya Kochanova noted. "It is an opportunity for Russian youth to get acquainted with the history of Belarus, to see our cities, and for our young people to get to know theirs. This is what brings us closer."
The project involves 200 students. Initially it involved only representatives of Russia and Belarus, however students from Kyrgyzstan and Armenia also joined the project afterwards. The geography of cooperation will expand in 2024, as CIS countries received the invitations to join the project. Azerbaijan has already confirmed its participation, and cooperation with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is still being discussed.
Natalya Kochanova called developing the route across the regions one of the top priorities. The Belarusian regions and Minsk are already working on it. The committee also discussed the process of selecting children, tailoring uniforms for them, providing medical care, food, security measures, setting up billboards, organizing an exhibition of photos taken during the visits to memorable places in Belarus and Russia. The chairperson also pointed out the need to arrange a wide assortment of souvenirs along the route.
The Memory Train patriotic project will kick off in Brest on 21-22 June. "The campaign starts in Brest, Brest Fortress. This is a tradition that will never change. When you meet the students, you can see how proud they are to participate. This project is an opportunity for them to communicate, share their experiences, and make friends. This is very important."
The project should include not only visits to memorable, iconic places of Belarus, but also present the country’s modern history, economic achievements, Natalya Kochanova noted. The main emphasis will be made on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders in 2024.
Memory Train passed through seven cities of Belarus and Russia from 21 June to July 3 in 2022. The participants also visited the Patriot park in Moscow Oblast. The route included Brest, Grodno, Vitebsk, Smolensk, Rzhev, Vyazma, Kubinka, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Veliky Novgorod, Pskov, Orsha, Mogilev, Gomel, and Minsk. The train arrived at the final destination on 3 July, Independence Day of Belarus.
In 2023, Memory Train traveled through fourteen cities of Belarus and Russia from 21 June to 6 July. The children visited the landmarks of Grodno, Zhlobin, Mogilev, Polotsk, Minsk, St. Petersburg, Ufa, Samara, Moscow, Tula and Volgograd.
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has met with the project participants on Independence Day at the Mound of Glory, and this has now become another Memory Train tradition.