After the completion of the action “Unity of generations: the route of memory”, we learned what the participant remembered most. n

Five days, more than 5,000 kilometers and all regions of Belarus. The Republican Patriotic Action “Unity of Generations: Route of Memory” was held for the first time and united 55 finalists of the contest “I am a patriot of my country”. From November 2 to November 6, the children traveled by car: they visited memorials, got acquainted with the cultural heritage of the country, historical and educational sites. The route in the memorial complex "Brest Fortress-Hero" ended with a solemn ceremony, a requiem rally and laying flowers to the Eternal Flame. We talked to the participants about what stops they remembered most and what they wanted to tell at home.

Brest fortress was the last stop of the trip. Here the boys honored the memory of the people who took the blow in the early hours of June 22, 1941. Together with the soldiers, their families came under fire. Surrounded by a shortage of water, food and ammunition, the defenders continued to fight. Separate pockets of resistance persisted in July.

Arzu Alekberova from Bobruisk district has long wanted to come here. On the trip, peers from other parts of the country were nearby - together they listened to guides, shared impressions, met. The student first talked about her new friends:

- I found a lot of like-minded people here, and we are all bound by our love for the Motherland. I'm very happy to meet you. I dreamed of visiting Khatyn, the Brest Fortress and the Red Bank. And we managed to visit all these places! Each is special in its own way, but the Brest Fortress is remembered most of all. Here you feel the strength of spirit and pride for your people.

The war left thousands of burned villages and destroyed families in Belarus. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the number of victims of the genocide exceeds three million people – every third resident died. For Arzu, behind the words about the losses is the story of her family. His brothers died, and his family knew nothing about his fate for a long time. The girl added:

- My grandfather at home for more than six months after the end of the war was considered dead. No word from him. He survived in the woods, hid from the Nazis and hoped to return to his family. And yet he came back. We remember and tell about it. Grandpa is buried in Azerbaijan. Every year on May 9, we go to the memorial complex. We may not be able to visit his grave, but we honor his memory.

For Kirill Dubik, the most important thing in the trip was to get acquainted with the places where the defenders of Belarus fought. Among such stops is the Buinich Field. In July 1941, soldiers of the 388th Rifle Regiment under the command of Colonel Semyon Kutepov held the defense here. Now about what Kirill wants to tell classmates who were not involved in the project:

- I was interested in such projects, and when the information about participation came to the school, I got excited about this idea. I am very glad that I was able to go on such a trip. No matter where we went, we were greeted with smiles. The main thing I take with me after the action is pride in our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. I want to share it with other guys and tell those who may not know the history of our country. The Great Patriotic War is an integral part of it, and it is important to remember it. For me, patriotism means knowing the history of the Motherland, respecting those who defended it, and passing on the memory of them. Telling my peers about their feat is something I can do right now.

In Khatyn and the Red Bank, participants talked about the dead civilians, about children whose lives were taken by the war. These stops reminded us that during the occupation the danger was far beyond the front lines. Punishers destroyed entire villages. During the investigation of the criminal case on the genocide of the Belarusian people, at least 12,348 rural settlements were burned in whole or in part, including together with residents.

Seeing memorable places with your own eyes was especially important for Daria Balakova from Luninets. Before the trip, some of them, she said, she knew only from stories:

- I thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I really wanted to go to places of military glory, so I decided to try. And it worked! I have long dreamed of visiting the Brest Fortress and the Red Coast - now I saw them myself. We also managed to visit Vitebsk. From Luninets there is a long way to go, and without the project I probably would not have reached for a long time. I think it’s important to come to these places yourself. In class, we learn dates, events, names. And here you think more about the people themselves: what they had to endure, who they lost, how much strength it took to survive. It is especially difficult to realize that the war did not spare children. They also had dreams, they wanted to learn, be friends, grow up. You understand the cost of all this, and you feel a responsibility to ensure that the experience of our country was not forgotten.

In the program there was a place and acquaintance with modern Belarus. In Minsk, the children visited the National Library, the Center for Technical Creativity of Children and Youth, the Educational Center for Life Safety of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. In Grodno, they walked around the historical center, got acquainted with the castles. In five days, you can see how different the country you live in can be, and how many more places you can visit. Republican patriotic action "Unity of generations: route of memory" ended in the Brest fortress