Participants of the rally "Relay of Memory" organized within the frames of the international public project "Our Great Victory" have held today a solemn meeting at the obelisk "Eternal Flame" in the capital of South Ossetia,dedicated to the memory of the fallen in the Great Patriotic War.
The event was attended by representatives of the Republican leadership, led by President Leonid Tibilov, war veterans, members of the public organizations, residents of Tskhinval.
Opening the meeting, the head of state addressed the participants on behalf of the Ossetian people.
"Your arrival in South Ossetia is the evidence that our country has also become a party to the international public project "Our Great Victory "," - said Tibilov.
He has reminded that people of South Ossetia during the Great Patriotic War took an active part in the war against the Nazi Germany and made a major contribution to the victory.
"We thought that our people would live in peace and freedom, but at the turn of the century we faced a serious threat and experienced another aggression from our southern neighbors, - said the president. - We withstood this onslaught owing to the great Russia, and we will always be grateful that in 2008 Russian leadership took the timely steps and people of South Ossetia live today in a free country. "
Then the participants of the meeting observed a minute's silence in memory of soldiers who died in the World War II.
Welcoming speech was also delivered by the Great Patriotic War veteran Lyubov Narikaeva.
"Today's event – is a tribute to the memory of those who brought us the victory, fell on the field of battle for the sake of future generations. Soon our Republic will celebrate the 68 th anniversary of the victory as an independent, free state, thanks to the wise policy of the Russian state, thanks to the courage of the Russian soldiers and resistance of the Ossetian people, "- said Narikaeva.
In turn, the coordinator of the project "Our Great Victory" Oleg Slyusarenko has also addressed the meeting, recalling that 26 million people lost their lives to hoist the flag of victory over the ruined Reichstag. "Millions of Soviet people of different nationalities fought and died for our Soviet Motherland" - said Slyusarenko.
He has also expressed hope that South Ossetia will be a full member of the international public project "Our Great Victory."
At the end of the event a representative of the Committee on Youth Policy, Sport and Tourism, Jana Tedeeva delivered a message of the youth of South Ossetian to the youth of the members of the international public project "Our Great Victory."
Further the 200-meter copy of the Victory Banner-a symbol of the project, -was spread out. Burning torches were launched into the sky, symbolizing the memory of those killed during the Great Patriotic War.
The rally participants have also visited the memorial cemetery in the yard of the school № 5 in Tskhinval, where they laid flowers and wreaths at the graves of the victims of the Georgian aggression.
