Russian citizens residing in Penang celebrated “Victory Day” in Georgetown with a small ceremony yesterday (Saturday May 11), 2024.
Victory Day falls on May 9.
The commemorative event saw a group of Russian-speaking compatriots, together with Malaysians and other friends from different countries plant trees as part of the ceremony.
The venue of the “Garden of Memory” was near the Catholic cemetery along Western Road where there is a memorial to the Russian military sailors of the cruiser “Zhemchug”, who died during the First World War.
The gathering brings together hundreds of thousands of caring residents of Russia and around the world, in perpetuation of the memory of those who gave their lives during the Second World War.
Guests also laid wreaths and planted seedlings followed by a short speech by Penang Heritage Trust representative, Clement Liang.
In addition, the event was also aimed at solving urgent problems in the field of ecology – greening cities, restoration of forest plantations and reduction of carbon gas.
The second part of the program was dedicated to the “Immortal Regiment” to celebrate Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War and to honour the feat of all those who fought in the rear and at the front for the liberation of the world from Nazism in 1941-1945.
This year guests from Kuala Lumpur also joined the tribute and celebrated the heroes of the war.
Participants of the event carried portraits of their relatives approaching the victory over Nazism in World War II.
During the event, traditionally, the participants will share stories of their relatives who passed during the war, the children read poems and at the end all participants of the Memory action were invited to taste the field kitchen.
At the end of the event, the participants solemnly sang the “Victory Day” song together.
For the uninitiated, Victory Day is a holiday that commemorates the Soviet Union victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.
