Residents of the village of Velikiye Prusy, activists, representatives of organizations and young people carried out large-scale work to improve the territory of the memorial «To the Fellow Countrymen», dedicated to civilians who tragically died at the hands of the Nazis during the war.
The day began with a touching performance by students of the Timkovichskaya Secondary School: Ksenia Cherkas and Vlada Slonim spoke about the war years, and Nikita Chernushevich read a poem about the war, reminding everyone present how important it is to preserve the memory of those who gave us peace. «It seemed that history itself spoke in their voices,» the participants shared.
After the memorial ceremony, the clean-up day participants got down to business together. Not only local residents but also distinguished guests took part in the work: heads of the Minsk Regional Trade Union Association Tatyana Guryeva and Dmitry Bochkov, chairman of the Youth Council of the Minsk Regional Trade Union Association Georgy Bespalko, chairman of the Kopyl district organization of the Belarusian Union of Education and Science Workers Marina Krepskaya, chairman of the Kopyl district trade union organization of the agro-industrial complex Irina Stepuro, chairman of the Timkovich village council Natalya Prokhorova, teachers of the Timkovich school, and assistance was also provided by the Rudnoye Agricultural Farm headed by its director Vitaly Kupriyanchik and foreman Grigory Pashkovich. They renewed the paint on the fences, cleared the area of old foliage and restored elements of the memorial, preserving its sacred appearance.
— Traditionally, we come to Velikiye Prusy — we paint, clean, and tidy up the territory. Subbotniks play a very important role. We actively involve young people — this is necessary for our memory. So that it will be in the future, when we are gone. Children must remember, know and honor, — Tatyana Guryeva shares.
— It is important for each of us to work together, remember together and create together! And today our trade union activists gathered to pay tribute to the memory of those who died in the fight against fascism, our grandfathers who defended our freedom, our independent, strong and prosperous Belarus. And also to contribute to the common good cause of the republican cleanup day with their creative work, — Dmitry Bochkov told us.
Georgy Bespalko shared his opinion about the republican cleanup day:
— We, as young people, take an active part in restoring order. It is important to remember, to pay tribute to the memory of our heroes, so that the youth remember and appreciate the moments that they have now, create and preserve what has been achieved. We will continue to try for the good of our country.
The clean-up day ended with a symbolic act of remembrance: the participants laid flowers at the monument dedicated to civilians whose feat became the embodiment of courage. Those gathered observed a minute of silence for all those who gave their lives for the Victory. This day is not just a clean-up day. It is a lesson for the young, a reminder that memory is alive as long as we cherish it.
The work done in Velikiye Prusy is another step towards ensuring that the tragedies of the past are never erased from people’s memory. After all, this is how, through joint efforts, we build a bridge between generations, where every tree, every flower at the memorial is a testament to remember and appreciate peace.
Anna Matusevich,
student of the Faculty of Journalism of BSU
Photo by the author
https://kopyl.by
Written by belta.by
