Today, May 8, a celebratory rally dedicated to Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War was held at the Belarusian National Technical University. From early morning, the university's folk brass band created a festive atmosphere.
The event was attended by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Viktor Karankevich, Minister of Education of the Republic of Belarus Andrei Ivanets, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Belarus Denis Moroz, Rector of the R.E. Alekseyev Novosibirsk State Technical University Sergey Dmitriev, Acting Rector of the M.T. Kalashnikov Izhevsk State Technical University Mikhail Pisarev, Head of the Special Escort Unit of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee Dmitry Yazvinsky, and Afghan veteran, retired colonel and Chairman of the BNTU Veterans Council Vladimir Pastukhov.
The event was rich and emotional, and participants of the 21st International Student Athletics Race "Izhevsk - Nizhny Novgorod - Minsk" were also present. On this day, representatives of our sister universities stood shoulder to shoulder with the Polytechnic University students in honor of their ancestors' heroism. Sergei Kharitonchik received the official report on the arrival of the run participants in the hero city of Minsk, which was presented by Dmitry Melnichenko, Vice-Rector for Youth Policy at ISTU.
Vladimir Pastukhov was the first to address those present. He recalled the hard work of our ancestors in achieving victory:
"On behalf of the university veterans, allow me to congratulate you all present on this significant and great holiday, Victory Day of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War. The Soviet people fought on the front lines for four years. It was a very difficult and brutal war. Victory was not easy to achieve. Nearly 30 million Soviet people fought in the Red Army during the war, and 27 million died at the hands of the Nazi invaders. It was difficult for everyone, not only for the military but also for civilians. We had to work day and night in the rear." As they say now, we worked 24/7, seven days a week. And who worked in the rear? Women and children did. They made tanks, planes, armored vehicles, and many other things. It was also very difficult for our Belarusians who remained here in the occupied territory. What the Nazis did to our people is difficult to even describe in words. For us, born in peacetime, it is hard to understand how the Soviet people were able to achieve this victory. Look at the heroic deeds our people accomplished at the front. They flew burning planes into columns of German vehicles, rammed them in burning tanks. Many women fought in this war. About a million women were at the front: doctors, nurses, pilots, tank crews. This war was hard on us. About 11 million officers and soldiers of the Soviet Army died at the front. To avoid war, we must do everything possible to raise the country's economy to the required level, improve the combat readiness, and strengthen the armed forces. And this task lies before you, young people. Therefore, we believe that you will fulfill the veterans' legacy of preserving our country and maintaining peace on earth. Happy holiday, dear comrades! Happy Victory Day!
Then, in his welcoming remarks, Sergei Kharitonchik thanked the young people for their loyalty to tradition and addressed the rally participants:
"I want to congratulate you on the upcoming Victory Day. This is a great holiday. What does it mean to young people, in my opinion? The victory of good over evil, truth over lies, light over darkness, and Victory Day is a foundation, a stronghold for you as the future generation. This is what you already have today and what you can confidently rely on in your lives. I would like to speak about the significance of the victory for our country. Without the victory, we would not have had such iconic and vitally needed facilities and projects. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, the Minsk Automobile Plant was founded. The Minsk Tractor Plant is a global brand." BelAZ has also appeared, and we are all proud of it. In the history of independent Belarus, very significant projects have been implemented for our country, ensuring its sovereignty and security. We are proud of our agriculture; it has been transformed and reborn. We are very proud of our Victory. The Victory gave a powerful impetus to the development of our university: new faculties, specializations, and students emerged who have made a significant contribution to the development of our country. We often remember Pavel Lukyanovich Mariyev, a Hero of Belarus, who made an invaluable contribution not only to the development of BelAZ, but also to our country. Just this week, the head of our state signed a decree awarding our employees the Order of Honor and the Presidential Gratitude. I believe that today, among the students of our university and our partner universities, there are also people who will also contribute to the development of our countries and, in the same way, forge the shield that prevents any aggressors from attacking our work. I congratulate you on the upcoming holiday. Health and peace above your heads!
Viktor Karankevich continued the official part of the ceremony. He conveyed congratulations on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Belarus and emphasized the sacred status of the holiday:
Dear colleagues, dear friends, and participants in this celebratory event. Allow me, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Belarus and on my own behalf, to sincerely congratulate you on this upcoming great holiday—Victory Day. This is a sacred holiday for each of us. It symbolizes the unconditional victory of good and justice over perfidious evil. On this day, with a sense of duty, gratitude, and immense pride, we pay tribute to the immortal feat of the liberating soldiers and all those who defended the freedom and independence of our native land. This holiday once again reminds us of the price paid for this great victory and the enormous sacrifices made by our people. Incredible efforts were made to ensure that we live in a peaceful and independent country. Victory Day reminds us how precious peace is and how important it is to preserve it for future generations, for the sake of the lives of young people and for the immortal memory of those who died in this terrible war. It is our duty to preserve the truth and memory of this war, so that it is not distorted and no one attempts to erase it from the memories of new generations. I also wish for peaceful skies to always reign over our native land, and for love, harmony, and prosperity to reign in every home and every family. May Victory Day always inspire us to selfless work and good deeds for the benefit of our native Belarus.
Alexandra Bobrovich, soloist of the "Vlyublennaya Dusha" vocal and pop studio, added a festive touch to the event, treating those present to a heartfelt rendition of "Immortal Regiment."
Oleg Pisarev and Sergey Dmitriev delivered congratulatory addresses. Dmitry Yazvinsky devoted special attention to issues of historical memory. Dmitry Anatolyevich thanked the staff and students of BNTU for preserving historical memory. In particular, he mentioned the restoration of monuments to fallen heroes of the Great Patriotic War by university representatives.
The ceremony continued with an awards ceremony for representatives of the BNTU Faculty of Architecture. Natalia Shulyakovskaya, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, and Ksenia Polyakova, Head of the Drawing, Watercolor, and Sculpture Department, were awarded commendations from the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Minsk City Executive Committee for their active assistance in preserving historical memory, their high level of civic and social engagement, and their promotion of the positive image and prestige of the internal affairs service.
In a solemn atmosphere, soloists from the "Vlyublennaya Dusha" vocal and pop studio performed the song "Pomnite" (Remember). Following the artists' performance, a moment of silence was observed during the Victory Day rally. In memory of the heroic past and as a sign of boundless respect for veterans and soldiers, a moment of silence was observed during the rally. To the beat of a metronome, the rally participants remembered all those who gave their lives during the Great Patriotic War.
The commemorative event concluded with a formal flower-laying ceremony. Distinguished guests, participants of the 21st International Student Athletics Race, and BNTU staff and students made their way to the memorial monument. As a sign of eternal gratitude for the peaceful skies, they laid flowers at the stele commemorating the faculty, staff, and students of the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute who died during the Great Patriotic War.
The event once again confirmed that unity and respect for our shared history remain our core values!
