The International Forum “The Memory of Winners” for the organizers of the procession “Immortal Regiment” in the countries of near and far abroad, representatives of organizations of compatriots and foreign citizens, non-governmental organizations and others began their work in the “Russian Book House” in Yerevan. Representatives from more than 30 countries worldwide participated in the work of its face-to-face and online formats.

“It is especially important that here we cherish the memory of our common heroic feat, honor the heroes-winners, oppose attempts to rewrite history. We are all one in this respect,” said Sergey Kopyrkin, the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Armenia in his speech at the opening of the forum. – We can see how today the Immortal Regiment has become one of the lines of resistance to the attack on our common past, which is a part of the hybrid war that the collective West is conducting against Russia. It is all the more important that we stand united in the defense of the historical truth, against attempts to falsify the history”.

Evgeny Primakov, Head of the Federal Agency on the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation, delivered a greeting message to the participants of the International Forum “In Memory of Winners” from Sergey Lavrov, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs: “The Great Patriotic War brought sorrow to every Russian family. You make the common desire of millions of people around the world to continue to honor the memory of their ancestors come true. Today, when the world is faced with unconcealed aggression of the collective West and manifestations of Russophobia towards Russian citizens, compatriots, it is more important than ever for us to unite and stand together for common past, present and hence for the future. Our sacred duty is to cherish the historical truth about those who defended the freedom and independence of our homeland, and saved Europe and the world from Nazism”.

Yevgeny Primakov added that the forum is not accidentally held in Armenia, a country where historical memory is carefully preserved and honored. And this is a question not only of textbooks and scientific researches, as well as respect to the memory of the ancestors and their heroic deeds. The march of the Immortal Regiment on May 9 has been a rallying force for compatriots abroad already for not the first year. Against all odds, this year, marches in traditional and hybrid formats took place in 90 countries around the world.

“The basis of all what the coordinator of the Immortal Regiment does is to remember their relatives and loved ones, their families, firstly. I am sure that many people perceive the attacks, the falsification of the results of World War II and the Great Patriotic War as an insult to their relatives and loved ones. And the desire to continue the Immortal Regiment and this work, no matter what, is to protect their families, their relatives. And this is what makes every person very brave and purposeful, “said Elena Tsunaeva, Co-chairman of the Central Headquarters of the Immortal Regiment of Russia, a member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation.

Mher Avetisyan, Founder of the House of Russian Book in Yerevan, also delivered a speech at the Forum. “During the war the peoples of the USSR and Europe, despite their diversity, found the strength to fight the scourge of the 20th century – Nazism and fascism,” reminded Mher Avetisyan.