Russian Interests Section in Georgia: Georgian schoolchildren take part in Russia's 'Memory Train' project

Georgian schoolchildren join Russian project

The Russian Interests Section at the Swiss Embassy in Georgia said that Georgian schoolchildren had taken part in the anniversary edition of the Memory Train project, organised by Russia and Belarus and dedicated to the Soviet interpretation of the Second World War and the historical narrative of the Great Patriotic War.

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According to the Russian Interests Section, secondary school students from Georgia joined peers from other countries on an educational tour that took them to 13 cities across Belarus and Russia.

The anniversary edition of the project concluded in Minsk, while the official programme began at the Brest Fortress. According to the organisers, the site holds symbolic significance within the Soviet historical narrative as the place where the Great Patriotic War began.

They also said that one of the students from Tbilisi placed a plaque bearing the symbol of Minsk on a commemorative display, describing it as a sign of “the unity of peoples and a shared historical memory”.

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The participation of Georgian schoolchildren in the project was also commented on by Konstantin Kosachev, deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council. Speaking to Sputnik Georgia, he said Georgian participants had been taking part in the Memory Train project for several years.

“We are very pleased that Georgian representatives have been taking part in the Memory Train for many years. Young people who complete this journey become ambassadors of goodwill. I am confident they will be able to achieve what we may not have managed to do: restore and strengthen our relations, making them genuinely friendly, because that is what we all want,” Kosachev said.

The project was also endorsed by Alexander Lukyanov, a member of the Standing Commission on International Affairs and National Security of the Council of the Republic of Belarus’ National Assembly. Speaking to Sputnik Georgia, he said Georgian soldiers had made a significant contribution to the liberation of Belarus.

“We are proud that our homeland was liberated not only by Russians and Belarusians, but by the entire multinational Soviet people, with our Georgian brothers at the forefront. Operation Bagration, which effectively marked the culmination of the great victory and the liberation of our homeland, remains of fundamental importance to our country,” Lukyanov said.

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What is the Memory Train project?

Memory Train is a joint cultural and educational initiative launched by Russia and Belarus in 2022.

According to its organisers, the project’s aims are to:

• preserve historical memory of the Great Patriotic War among young people;
• introduce participants to memorial sites linked to the Second World War;
• strengthen ties between students from different countries.

The project begins each year on 21-22 June, marking the anniversary of Nazi Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union, at the Brest Fortress. Participants travel by a specially chartered train through cities in Belarus and Russia, visiting war memorials, museums and sites associated with the Soviet war effort. The route covered 15 cities in 2022 and has included 13 cities in recent years.

Georgian schoolchildren join Russian project