Participants of the international peace march laid flowers at the monument to the liberators in Vitebsk

Participants of the XXXIV International Peace March, organized by representatives of the Kursk regional branch of the Russian Peace Foundation, arrived in Vitebsk on July 16. The project is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from the Nazi invaders, a BELTA correspondent reports.

Early in the morning, the delegation visited the regional center for an excursion, and then held a commemorative patriotic event at the memorial complex in honor of the Soviet liberator soldiers, partisans and underground fighters of the Vitebsk region, which majestically stands on Victory Square. A meeting with the region's public and the signing of cooperation agreements between schools are also planned in Vitebsk.

"People's diplomacy, including children's diplomacy, and educational projects that will be implemented (for example, the Novopolotsk school will organize its own marathon) are a practical embodiment of the theoretical aspects defined by the school curriculum," noted Tatyana Tumanova, Chairperson of the Board of the Vitebsk Regional Branch of the Belarusian Peace Foundation Public Association.

She added that the organization in the Vitebsk region closely cooperates with the peace foundations of Russia (the Russian Peace Foundation unites 45 regions), and branches have been established in each region of Belarus. "We cooperate very seriously with Smolensk, we have good relations with Pskov, although there is no branch of the peace foundation there. But the programs they implement are the main programs laid down in our charter that we are implementing: 'Memory', 'Care', and the program for people's diplomacy. Closer communication allows us to focus on specific issues and improve our work for strategic planning," emphasized Tatyana Tumanova.

Forty people took part in the peace march. Over the week, they are expected to visit Vitebsk, Brest, Grodno, Gomel, Mogilev, Nesvizh, as well as the Belarusian capital, Minsk. The delegation left Kursk on July 15. Stopping in various cities, they will carry out peace programs, which will include rallies, laying flowers and wreaths at memorials, presentations of the "Kursk Character" project, as well as mobile exhibitions from the "Young Defenders of the Motherland" museum. Meetings with representatives of schools – partners of Kursk educational institutions are also planned, particularly in Vitebsk and Gomel. The schools will sign friendship and cooperation agreements.

The goal of the march is to preserve the historical truth about the events of the Great Patriotic War, the spiritual, patriotic, and cultural values of Russia, and to expand partnership.

...with representatives of civil society of Belarusian cities, noted representatives of the Kursk region.

Source: belta.by