On the «Candle of Remembrance» event held at the State Archives of the Gomel Region

On June 22, 2026, the Republic of Belarus commemorates the 85th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War – National Remembrance Day for the Victims of War and Genocide of the Belarusian People. On this day, the Great Patriotic War – one of the most brutal and bloody in the history of our country – began.

Archive Director Yuri Shestopalov addressed his colleagues with words of grief and respect for the heroic past of the Belarusian people:

«Belarus was the first territory to bear the crushing blow of the enemy army. Burned villages and towns, countless punitive operations, death camps, prisons and ghettos, public executions and mass shootings – this is the «German order» imposed by the Nazis». The victims of the Great Patriotic War and the merciless genocide of the Belarusian people are spoken of in every corner of the country, as virtually every inch of our land is saturated with blood and pain. These crimes cannot be forgotten or forgiven. We must remember and honor the memory of those who fought and died for their homeland. It is this memory that gives us strength and motivation to build a peaceful and prosperous future».

At 12:00 PM, employees of the State Archives of the Gomel Region joined the nationwide moment of silence and honored the memory of those who died in the Great Patriotic War.

Pictured: During the «Candle of Remembrance» event