On May 6 through 10, 2010, a delegation of World War II veterans and residents of besieged Leningrad who live abroad has a stay in the city by the invitation of St.Petersburg for External Relations.
Within the framework of the St.Petersburg Government program to implement the state policy of Russian Federation concerning the compatriots abroad
On May 6 through 10, 2010, a delegation of World War II veterans and residents of besieged Leningrad who live abroad has a stay in the city by the invitation of St.Petersburg for External Relations.
107 people from 24 countries (31 of them were the participants of Great Patriotic War, 60 - the residents of besieged Leningrad, while 16 were the escort) visited St.Petersburg to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Great Victory.
The delegations were formed in interaction with the diplomatic missions of Russian Federation abroad, and the trip of the participants to St.Petersburg and back home was paid for by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russian Federation.
On May 7, the veterans of Great Patriotic War and the residents of besieged Leningrad attended a gala concert at the New Arena devoted to the 65th anniversary of Victory in Great Patriotic War; a party on the occasion of the victory anniversary was organized for them on behalf of St.Petersburg Government at the Hotel Corinthia Nevsky Palace Hotel afterwards. The party included a concert “Songs of the Wartime Years” for the veterans, with the participation of soloists from the Mariinsky Opera, Song and Dance Ensemble of the Leningrad Military District and the Russian State Academic Orchestra named after V.V.Andreev (conductor - Dmitriy Khokhlov).
On the same day, a meeting took place of the veterans of Great Patriotic War living abroad and the pupils of St.Petersburg School № 235 named after D.D. Shostakovich. During the meeting, the veterans told the pupils about the appalling wartime days and answered the questions.
On May 8, the members of the delegations took part in solemn ceremony of laying wreaths and flowers at the memorial Piskarevskoe Cemetery. That same evening they visited the VI International contest of patriotic song “Hail Motherland” at the Grand Concert Hall “Oktyabrskiy”.
On May 9, the veterans of Great Patriotic War and the residents of besieged Leningrad from abroad attended the Victory Parade held at Dvortsovaya Square, and took part in a solemn procession along the Nevskiy Prospekt in the evening.
The final event for the veterans were festive fireworks in honor of the 65th anniversary of the Great Victory.
Further information: Andrey Leonidovich Sobolevskiy, Leading specialist of the Department for Relations with Compatriots Abroad, , tel. +7 (812) 576-7514.
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Treatment of the veterans and the residents of sieged Leningrad who live abroad is one of the priorities of St.Petersburg tp work for the development of interaction with fellow countrymen.
By the resolution № 825 of St.Petersburg Government of 08.07.2008, a program was adopted to implement the State policy of Russian Federation concerning the compatriots abroad for 2008-2010.
A special section of this program is related to the support of the war veterans and residents of besieged Leningrad among the compatriots, which includes a whole series of activities.
It should be noted that even before the adoption of the program, since 1997, St.Petersburg Committee for External Relations annually hosted a group of veterans and residents of besieged Leningrad from abroad coming to participate in the celebrations of Victory Day and the Day of complete liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade.
News source: Committee for External Relations of St.Petersburg