The meeting took place at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko believes that historical memory should be preserved not only in books and museums, but also in people’s hearts.
“This is the most reliable safeguard for historical memory,” the Speaker said during her meeting with participants in the Train of Memory educational and cultural project, which took place at the Victory Museum on Poklonnaya Hill.
“Everyone should visit this place. It is not only Russia’s principal memorial museum complex dedicated to the history of the Great Patriotic War, but also one of the world’s largest military history museums,” she added. The Federation Council Speaker believes that the museum has become a fortress of sorts against falsifiers, combining the truth about the war years with profound respect for every soldier and officer who gave their life for the Motherland.
Valentina Matvienko added that the idea of establishing a memorial museum complex in Moscow dedicated to the Soviet people’s victory in the Great Patriotic War was first put forward by the legendary military commander, Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgy Zhukov. She cited his words that a nation which has endured great trials draws strength from its Victory.
The Speaker noted that the young train passengers had already visited numerous memorial sites in Belarus and Russia connected with the events of the Great Patriotic War. In Brest, they met with Natalya Kochanova, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus and co-creator of the Train of Memory project.
Valentina Matvienko expressed her confidence that the participants would remember the journey for the rest of their lives.
“I hope you will share these memories with your families and friends. Your impressions will remain with you and serve as a shield against neo-Nazism, which is, unfortunately, re-emerging in some countries today. You will never allow anyone to belittle the contribution of the peoples of the Soviet Union to the Great Victory over Nazism.”
The Speaker noted that, during the first year of the project, the competition for each Russian participant’s place was eight applicants. This year, she said, the figure has risen to 300 applicants per place:
“Over the years, around 1,000 high school students have traveled aboard the Train of Memory. We began with participants from Russia and Belarus, then young people from across the CIS joined the project. This year, descendants of the victors from the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition have also become passengers,” she said.
Valentina Matvienko thanked the team of project’s organisers – Federation Council Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, Russian senators, regional governors and representatives of partner organisations. “Special words of gratitude go to Russian Railways and its staff for their attitude, responsibility and dedication to the project,” she said.
During the meeting, the Speaker also spoke about her family’s wartime heirlooms, the role of modern technology in preserving historical memory, and the importance of teachers and mentors in this endeavour. She also answered questions from the schoolchildren.
Konstantin Kosachev, Federation Council Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the Train of Memory organising committee, presented a collection of poems by Russian and Belarusian authors devoted to the Great Patriotic War, published specifically for the Train of Memory project.
Among those attending the meeting were Russian senators accompanying the schoolchildren throughout the journey: member of the Committee on Federal Structure, Regional Policy, Local Government, and Northern Affairs Nadezhda Ilyina, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Science, Education, and Culture Elena Pisareva, Deputy Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Yelena Afanaseva, member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs Ivan Novikov, and member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Alexander Lukyanov.
In Moscow, the schoolchildren were welcomed and accompanied by Federation Council Deputy Speaker Inna Svyatenko. Their programme included visits to the Victory Museum, the G.O.R.A. Museum, the Moscow Kremlin, and Red Square.
A central event of the visit was the ceremonial laying of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden.
This year, the Train of Memory route once again passed through Russia and Belarus, with stops at 13 cities. In addition to young participants from the CIS countries, the project welcomed young people from countries of the anti-Hitler coalition, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
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Federation Council Deputy Speaker Inna Svyatenko, who represents Moscow’s legislative authorities, said that dozens of government agencies and organisations had joined the Train of Memory programme in the capital.
“I am sure this journey will leave the children with lasting impressions, a deeper understanding of the history of the Great Patriotic War, and forge new friendships,” she said.
Inna Svyatenko also met with the project participants and representatives of Moscow schools. The event was attended by deputy of the Moscow City Duma Pyotr Potapov, who is also deputy head of the Moscow Railway responsible for territorial divisions; Alexander Lukyanov, member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus; and Nikolai Antonov, head of the Directorate for the Implementation of State Policy in the Field of Upbringing and Additional Education of the Moscow Department of Education and Science.