Today, the solemn ceremony of the launch of the patriotic, cultural and educational project "Memory Train" will take place.

This unique project was initiated by the speakers of the upper houses of the parliaments of Belarus and Russia, Natalya Kochanova and Valentina Matviyenko.

The main idea of the "Memory Train" is in its name - the memory of the Great Patriotic War, the heroic deed of the Soviet people.

The project successfully started in 2022. Its participants were 200 Belarusian and Russian schoolchildren, 100 from each country, who made a memorable trip in a specialized train. The train rode more than 6 thousand km in 15 days. The participants visited 15 cities of the two states, learned about the main events of the Great Patriotic War, visited museums and monuments, participated in military reconstructions and meetings with veterans.

This year, by decision of the Presidents of Belarus and Russia, the project received the status of an event of the Union State. The patriotic project includes 70 Belarusian students aged 15-17, 90 children from the Russian side and 20 students from Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

The Republic of Belarus is represented by the winners of regional and republican Olympiads (Quiz), competitions on the theme of the Great Patriotic War, activists and participants in large-scale military-patriotic projects.

The train will be on the road for 18 days and will stop in 6 cities of the Republic of Belarus and 8 cities of the Russian Federation.

The program is organized with an emphasis on patriotic education, historical memory. Thus, in Brest today a meeting of the Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Natalia Kochanova with the project participants will take place in the format of an open lesson of historical truth and memory.

In the evening, the patriotic, cultural and educational project "Memory Train" will be launched at the Memorial Complex "Brest Hero Fortress".

The event will be attended by youth representatives of institutions of higher, vocational and general secondary education, members of the Youth Army of the Post of Memory, students of cadet classes, military-patriotic clubs.

In memory of the heroic deed during the Great Patriotic War, wreaths and flowers will be laid at the Eternal Flame of the Brest Fortress-Hero Memorial Complex.

Then the “Memory Train” will go to the cities of Belarus and Russia that are significant for each of us.

Commemorative and memorial events related to the Great Patriotic War and other important historical dates of Belarus and Russia such as, laying wreaths and flowers at the monuments to fallen soldiers, rallies, meetings with veterans and representatives of government bodies, cultural - entertainment activities will take place in every city. In particular, it is planned to visit the monument to children - victims of the Great Patriotic War in the Zhlobin region, the Buinichskoe Pole Memorial, the Memorial Complex "For Our Soviet Motherland" in Orsha, the Mound of Glory, the Khatyn Memorial Complex.

The children will also visit the Scarlet Sails festival, events of the 10th Forum of the Regions of Belarus and Russia, and the Patriot Park in the Moscow Region.

Note: more than 11.3 thousand tenth graders took part in the selection for participation in this unique project. The selection was held in accordance with the provisions of the competition "I am a patriot of my country." Among the participants are active and purposeful guys who have achieved high levels in educational, social, sports, and volunteer activities. These are leaders of student self-government, public associations, students of military-patriotic, cadet classes, pupils of military-patriotic clubs, members of youth parliaments.

In total, 2075 institutions of general secondary education and institutions of additional education for children and youth took part in the competition.