MINSK, 9 April (BelTA) - The Belarusian BRSM Youth Union has launched the nationwide patriotic project Flowers of the Great Victory. The campaign began with the war monument clean up in the Rogovo village, Minsk District, BelTA has learned.
“As the country's largest youth organization, we carefully preserve the historical memory of the Great Patriotic War. That was a time of unparalleled courage by the people who defended their independence. Today we are launching the new season of the project in Rogovo for a good reason: the local BRSM branch at the local school takes a very good of this monument,” Aleksandr Davydovsky said.
Secretary of the Central Committee of the BRSM Youth Union Aleksandr Davydovsky noted, the patriotic project Flowers of the Great Victory has been running since 2015 and has already become a tradition. Every Belarusian knows the symbol of the project: a boutonniere combining an apple blossom and a ribbon in the colors of the national flag.
“As the country's largest youth organization, we carefully preserve the historical memory of the Great Patriotic War. That was a time of unparalleled courage by the people who defended their independence. Today we are launching the new season of the project in Rogovo for a good reason: the local BRSM branch at the local school takes a very good of this monument,” Aleksandr Davydovsky said.
During the campaign, activists from the Central Committee, the Minsk regional committee and the district committee of the BRSM, together with schoolchildren tidied up the monument and the surrounding area. As part of the Digital Star project, organizers installed a plaque with a QR code. “Now everyone can learn the history of this place. It is worthy saying that children gathered the information about the monument themselves,” Aleksandr Davydovsky added.
He added that in 2026, the Flowers of the Great Victory project will run a series of themed weeks. Beginning 13 April, the Week of Beautification will see young people across the country cleaning and tending to mass graves and memorial complexes.
“Next will be the Week of Family History, where anyone can share the stories of heroism of their family members: great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers who participated in the Great Patriotic War. Then will follow the Week of Historical Memory. It features a wide range of events, from discussion platforms to museum visits. The goal is the same: to preserve the truth about the events of those years,” he explained.
He added that in 2026, the Flowers of the Great Victory project will run a series of themed weeks. Beginning 13 April, the Week of Beautification will see young people across the country cleaning and tending to mass graves and memorial complexes.
“Next will be the Week of Family History, where anyone can share the stories of heroism of their family members: great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers who participated in the Great Patriotic War. Then will follow the Week of Historical Memory. It features a wide range of events, from discussion platforms to museum visits. The goal is the same: to preserve the truth about the events of those years,” he explained.
The final chapter of the marathon is the Week of Gratitude, during which activists will visit the war veterans and former prisoners of the concentration camp to express appreciation for a peaceful and independent Belarus.
The project will culminate with the celebrations on 9 May. “Traditionally, the youth union will take part in the national celebrations. This year, the BRSM Central Committee will develop an interactive quiz for the participants. We will send it to every territorial committee so young people can once again test their knowledge of the Great Patriotic War history,” the BRSM Central Committee secretary concluded.
Roman Stognachev, an 11th-grade student at Rogovo Secondary School, recalled the history of the memorial: “The monument, depicting a kneeling soldier with a wreath, was built in 1960 on the mass grave. The mass grave contains the remains of more than 2,000 unknown warriors. According to records, there was a prisoner-of-war camp near the village of Rogovo from the end of 1941 until 1943. Mass execution was conducted there for inciting mutiny with the goal of going over to the partisans.”
For Roman Stognachev taking part in the campaign has personal significance. “I read a lot about the war and realize how difficult that time was. My grandmother was a prisoner in a German camp. Through my participation, I am here to honor my ancestors and to remind everyone, young and old, not to forget where we come from,” he shared.
Schoolchildren from Rogovo take care of other memorial sites, such as the mass grave in the Volkovshchina village, take part in rallies and processions. Since 2025, the village Novy Dvor has hosted commemoration ceremonies near the alley dedicated to the liberation of Minsk.
The event finished with a flower ceremony and a minute of silence.
The project will culminate with the celebrations on 9 May. “Traditionally, the youth union will take part in the national celebrations. This year, the BRSM Central Committee will develop an interactive quiz for the participants. We will send it to every territorial committee so young people can once again test their knowledge of the Great Patriotic War history,” the BRSM Central Committee secretary concluded.
Roman Stognachev, an 11th-grade student at Rogovo Secondary School, recalled the history of the memorial: “The monument, depicting a kneeling soldier with a wreath, was built in 1960 on the mass grave. The mass grave contains the remains of more than 2,000 unknown warriors. According to records, there was a prisoner-of-war camp near the village of Rogovo from the end of 1941 until 1943. Mass execution was conducted there for inciting mutiny with the goal of going over to the partisans.”
For Roman Stognachev taking part in the campaign has personal significance. “I read a lot about the war and realize how difficult that time was. My grandmother was a prisoner in a German camp. Through my participation, I am here to honor my ancestors and to remind everyone, young and old, not to forget where we come from,” he shared.
Schoolchildren from Rogovo take care of other memorial sites, such as the mass grave in the Volkovshchina village, take part in rallies and processions. Since 2025, the village Novy Dvor has hosted commemoration ceremonies near the alley dedicated to the liberation of Minsk.
The event finished with a flower ceremony and a minute of silence.
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