BREST, 8 May (BelTA) - A delegation from Germany is visiting Belarus. The guests arrived in a large group to strengthen humanitarian cooperation and develop people’s diplomacy in order to build bridges between the societies of the two countries. One of the key issues during the trip is the preservation of historical memory. Brest became the first city visited by the German delegation. Hermann Kopp, one of the participants, shared his impressions with a BelTA correspondent.
Hermann Kopp noted that the group brings together people from various lands of Germany. It is not his first time in Belarus, but he is rediscovering the country. “I am in Belarus and Brest for the third time. In 1972, we were on the Peace Train. It ran through Warsaw, Brest, Kiev, Moscow and on to Leningrad. The second time was 20 years ago with my wife. We cycled in a large group from Paris to Moscow,” he said.
According to him, when the bus crossed the Polish-Belarusian border, a completely different Brest opened up in front of him. “For me, this is a completely new city next to Poland. Brest is so clean, many new buildings have been built, especially near the border. It is impressive,” he shared.
He added that Belarusians are very kind people. “Even 20 years ago, we were struck by the friendliness and hospitality of Belarusians. We stayed with a family during that trip. They and their neighbors were all very friendly to us. They did not know German, we did not know Russian, but we understood each other. Sometimes we used a dictionary. I have the same pleasant impressions now. We are very grateful for the hospitality,” the German guest noted.
He stressed that each of his trips to Belarus carries a peaceful message. “Our goal is to get to know the people living in Belarus better. We are interested in how Belarusians feel about the war, what they think about Nazi Germany, which attacked the Soviet Union. We want and strive to build a bridge for communication between the German and Belarusian people,” he concluded.
The German guests went on a sightseeing tour of Brest on 8 May. Despite the rainy weather, the day was packed with activities. On 9 May, the group will visit the Brest Fortress, where they will celebrate Victory Day together with thousands of people.
Photos by Violetta Yuzhakova
Follow us on:
