The Memory Train project has become a good tradition for Belarus and Russia, Chairperson of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova told reporters following a meeting of the organizing committee of the 10th Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, BelTA has learned.

The event was held at the Council of the Republic. The participants discussed preparations for the Belarus-Russia patriotic, cultural and educational project Memory Train.

According to Natalya Kochanova, the project was a huge success last year. “The teenagers from Belarus and Russia became friends, they liked everything immensely. We, the Federation Council and the Council of the Republic, were glad that we launched such a wonderful project. We see that it has already become a good tradition. This year a huge number of people want to join it, so we will have to select participants. But the most important thing about this project is educating young people about the history of our country and the Russian Federation. We believe that this project is very important for the future of the Union State. Children get to know each other, communicate, make friends,” the speaker said.

Yet, the most important goal this project was designed to achieve is the preservation of historical memory, Natalya Kochanova emphasized. “Preserving the memory of those glorious days when we closed ranks to defend the freedom and independence of our country - the Soviet Union. And therefore we invited our partners from other CIS countries to participate in this project and we hope that their youth will join us. We plan to keep expanding the list of participants in the coming years,” the speaker noted.

It was decided that the project would start and finish in Belarus. “The starting point that will never change is always the city of Brest that took the brunt during the war years. This is a holy place for us, and the journey will start there on 22 June. The project will wrap up in Minsk on 3 July, the main holiday of our country - Independence Day. Last year the participants of the project met with the president of our country, and that became a truly momentous event in their lives, something to remember. We hope that such a meeting will take place this year,” added Natalya Kochanova.

The Memory Train project is an initiative of Chairwoman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Natalya Kochanova and Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Matviyenko. The project debuted in 2022. Last summer, the participants of the project covered more than 6,000 km on train and visited 15 cities of Belarus and Russia, where defensive and liberation battles of the Great Patriotic War took place.

Written by belta.by