The plenary session of the International Forum “Great Heritage – Common Future” was held at the Brest Regional Social and Cultural Center. The event was timed to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War.
The initiative to bring to the attention of representatives from around the world the issues of protecting historical memory and the importance of countering attempts to distort the facts about the events of World War II, which affected the entire world, came from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia.
Foreign parliamentary delegations, representatives of the expert and educational communities, and representatives of three thematic sections took part in the discussion.
Before the plenary session, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin, along with the heads of parliamentary delegations, toured the exhibition “Bread – The Invisible Force of Victory,” which is dedicated to the exceptional role bread played during the harsh years of the Great Patriotic War and the invisible spirit of the bakers who forged the shared Victory. The exhibition features five types of military bread, as well as several examples of modern bakery products.
The meeting began with a nationwide moment of silence. In Brest, at precisely noon, a tribute was paid to all those who gave their lives for the future and freedom of their homeland. The heroism and courage of the Red Army soldiers, partisans, and underground fighters, along with the truly nationwide resistance to the enemy, brought about the long-awaited Victory Day. Today, the memory of the great feat of Soviet soldiers and officers is sacredly honored by their descendants.
It is important that the bonds of fraternal friendship and mutual assistance forged on the battlefields of the Great Patriotic War today help Russians and Belarusians develop multifaceted cooperation, work together to build the Union State, and defend their legitimate interests in the international arena, noted Russian President Vladimir Putin in his greeting to the forum participants. The address was delivered by Vyacheslav Volodin. “Cooperation between legislative bodies and activities within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union of Belarus and Russia have traditionally been a significant component of bilateral relations,” the Russian head of state emphasized.
For his part, the Chairman of the State Duma noted the importance of the discussion taking place today at the forum. “We defend our history, the heroism of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. And it is very right when children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren honor their elders, those thanks to whom we live today and plan our future,” he emphasized.
Vyacheslav Volodin expressed words of gratitude to the foreign delegations participating in the forum, “who have traveled great distances to come to this international forum to defend from attacks those to whom we owe everything today.” Among them are those with whom the Soviet Union fought Japanese militarism, he added.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko also sent his greetings to those gathered. His address was read by Igor Sergeyenko, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic. “Representatives of all the republics of the Soviet Union fought unitedly against Nazism on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War,” the Belarusian leader noted in his address. “It was a battle for life and freedom, for their country and other European states, saved thanks to the courage and heroism of the multinational Soviet people.”
According to Alexander Lukashenko, protecting historical truth from those who attempt to rewrite history is a top priority.
For his part, Igor Sergeyenko emphasized that they are glad to see friends of Belarus in Brest, those who share “a reverent attitude toward the legacy of the victorious generation and the desire to build a common future for all countries and peoples on this foundation.”
Their feat is incomparable to those who surrendered to the Nazis within days.
The Brest Fortress and Pavlov’s House in Stalingrad held the line and fought the Nazis longer than most European countries, Vyacheslav Volodin noted in his speech. “If we compare most European countries, how did they defend their states, their peoples, their homeland? Some held out for only a few hours and then bowed to the Nazis, others for several days,” said the State Duma Speaker.
Vyacheslav Volodin emphasized that we must be worthy of the heroic deeds of our fathers and grandfathers. He noted that today, European countries are fighting against the memorials and graves of Red Army soldiers and officers, many of whom gave their lives for the freedom of these same countries.
“More than three hundred memorials have been destroyed between 2022 and 2025. What does this mean? Neo-Nazism is raising its head. Both European states and the peoples of other countries should see this. But they remain silent about it. Our forum is called upon to protect memory. If it is taken from us, if the feat of those who stood firm in Brest and won in Stalingrad is erased, we will have no history.” “And without history, there will be no states that we represent,” the Chairman of the State Duma added.