Saturday, April 29 2017 12:20

ArmInfo. The International Forum of Winners "The Great Victory, reached through unity: the courage of the front - the resilience  of the rear", held on April 28 in Astana, gathered on its platform veterans and participants from 15 post-Soviet republics.

Before the forum, solemn laying of wreaths to the Memorial of the  Great Patriotic War "Otan kurgaushylar" and flowers to the eternal  flame took place. The 94-year veteran of the Second World War, the  head of the Committee of War Veterans and the Armed Forces of the  Republic of Armenia, Colonel Petros Petrosyan, laid a wreath from the  Armenian side.

President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev in his message of  greetings to the forum participants noted that it was the older  generation of Kazakhstanis who forged the Victory. The Kazakh leader  stressed the importance of holding such forums as platforms for  discussing topical issues related to the Great Patriotic War.  According to him, a number of important initiatives, such as the  action "Immortal Battalion", "Millions of Panfilovians" and many  others, are being discussed at the forum's platforms, topical issues  of the history of the Second World War and counteraction to attempts  of its falsification are being discussed.

In his turn, Russian President Vladimir Putin in his welcome address  stated that these meetings, which have become traditional, are an  important consolidation factor of the states.  At the same time, he  noted that Kazakhstan made an invaluable contribution to the overall  Victory: "We must carefully preserve and protect the historical truth  about the Second World War, the traditions and the spirit of the  alliance in the fight against Nazism."

At the end of the forum, the final resolution reads in particular:  "The anniversary of the Great Victory unites us, citizens of  different countries, people with different political convictions,  religion and life experience. Confirming the fundamental importance  of the Victory and our memory of it for our countries and peoples,  for the whole modern world.

We again refer to the memory of the War and Victory as the source of  truth, honor, values, true patriotism.  We understand that our  peoples are Winners. That our great-grandfathers at the cost of  incredible sacrifices and deprivations brought freedom and peace to  Europe and to all mankind. We honor the memory of the fact that we  were together in the fight against Nazism - together on the side of  freedom. Victory reminds us that myths about national and or other  exclusivity lead to tragedies, to misfortunes, to innumerable  victims.

We must keep the memory of their heroism and raise voice against  attempts to slander it. We must keep the brotherhood that has forever  united our peoples in the struggle for the Victory."

The organizers of the event are the Political Center "North-South"  and the Development Fund "The Institute of Eurasian Studies" with the  support of the Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation of the  CIS member states.

Since 2010, the Forum was hosted by the Russian cities of Tuapse,  Vladikavkaz, Volgograd, Kursk, Moscow. In 2016, the Forum was held in  the Hero City of Minsk.