The South Ossetian delegation is taking part in the Third International Historico-Cultural Forum "The Great Victory, won by unity: Peoples of the Caucasus in the Battle of Stalingrad", dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Soviet troops in the Battle of Stalingrad. The forum is being held in the Russian city of Volgograd, April 25-26.
On the first day of the forum, representatives of the South Ossetian delegation took part in the laying of wreaths and flowers in the hall of glory and at the tomb of Marshal Chuikov on Mamaev mound; they have also visited the exhibition "Together from Stalingrad to the Great Victory."
Then there was held a plenary session, during which representatives of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation, Volgograd region, as well as heads of the delegations participating in the forum, made reports.
In his speech, President of the Development Fund "Institute of Eurasian Studies" Valery Tursunov has noted the importance of the Battle of Stalingrad, which became a decisive factor in the outcome of the struggle of the peoples of the USSR against the Nazi invaders.
"This victory inspired not only those who were fighting in the Great Patriotic War, but also the anti-Nazi around the world. But only you, veterans, know the real price of this victory, what you had to endure to gain it, and what is to protect the homeland to the last drop of blood, "- he emphasized.
The Acting President of the Republic of Dagestan Ramadan Abdullatipov has also addressed the participants of the plenary session.
"In the World War II all the peoples of the Caucasus were united in their struggle. German invaders were hoping that they could embroil our peoples and thereby destroy our country. This did not happen, because our fathers and grandfathers were worthy men and the part of their dignity and honor was the feeling of friendship of peoples – they were all in the same ranks, they were one nation, they were not the people of different nationalities, but only the patriots, "- he said.
Head of the Russian Presidential Administration for Interregional and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, Vladimir Chernov in his speech read out greetings of the Russian President Vladimir Putin to participants and guests of the forum.
On the same day, representatives of the South Ossetian delegation participated in the three sessions of the forum - "The Turning Point on the way to the Great Victory: Peoples of the Caucasus in the Battle of Stalingrad" which discussed the work of scholars in the study of the Battle of Stalingrad. Besides, South Ossetian participants of the forum attended the sessions "Searching movement: how to keep alive the memory of the Great Victory" and "Historical memory of the Great Victory in the eyes of young people", where the report was made by the representative of the Russian Union of Youth in South Ossetia Roman Dzhioev. He has noted the appreciation and honor of the victory of the Soviet people by the younger generation in South Ossetia; he has also presented the book "We remember the names of heroes."
At the end of the working part of the first day the participants adopted a resolution of the Third International Historico-Cultural Forum "The Great Victory, won by unity: Peoples of the Caucasus in the Battle of Stalingrad."
Then a reception was given by the Governor of the Volgograd Region Sergei Bozhenov, as well as the concert of performers and creative teams of the Volgograd region, Moscow, the North Caucasus and the Transcaucasian states.
South Ossetian delegation is led by Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of South Ossetia, the Chairman of the political council of the party "Unity", director of the branch of the Institute of Eurasian Studies Zurab Kokoev. The delegation has also included veterans of the Great Patriotic War, the representative of the Russian Union of Youth in South Ossetia, the head of the Republican Public Organization "Som Bon" Roman Dzhioev, a winner of the All-Russian and international entertainers competitions Nina Gatikoeva, representatives of the Ministry of Culture of South Ossetia, the youth wing of the party "Unity", as well as the journalists of the news agency "Res".
The forum is attended by delegations from nine regions of the North Caucasus and Southern Federal Districts: Adygea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Krasnodar Krai, North Ossetia, Chechnya and Stavropol, as well as by delegations from the five states of Transcaucasia: South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.
The first International Regional Conference "The Great Victory, won by unity: the Caucasus during the Great Patriotic War" took place in 2010 in the city of military glory Tuapse, and the second - in the city of military glory Vladikavkaz.
The organizers of the forum are the "Development Fund ''Institute of the Eurasian Studies," political science centre "North-South" and the non-commercial partnership to promote the development of international relations "Caucasian cooperation."
