KLICHEV DISTRICT, 5 August (BelTA) – Memory of the past is a bridge to the present, Head of the Belarus President Administration Igor Sergeyenko told reporters during the reopening of the renovated Usakino memorial complex of partisan glory in Klichev District, BelTA has learned.
“Literally every settlement of Belarus has monuments, obelisks, mass graves that remind us of the war, perpetuate the heroism of our grandparents and great-grandparents. Such memorials are sacred places for all Belarusians. After all, the memory of the past is a link with the present. We bow our heads to the heroes who sacrificed their lives for our independence and our victory, and thanks to whom we look confidently into the future. The heroic example of the fallen gives us strength to live,” Igor Sergeyenko said.
A decision to refurbish the Usakino memorial complex of partisan glory was made last year following a request from residents of Klichev. The memorial complex was unveiled in 1985, and many of its elements have fallen into disrepair since then. The Mogilev Oblast Executive Committee developed a comprehensive renovation plan; builders and the public joined efforts to restore this military shrine. Today the Usakino memorial complex, or, as it is also called, an open-air museum of partisan glory, has experienced its rebirth. This is a significant event as it commemorates past generations and contributes to promotion of patriotism among contemporaries.
“Before the war, there were 46,000 residents in entire Klichev District, while during the war the partisan zone numbered 70,000 people. People lived here, fought bravely and won against all odds. It is difficult to imagine how hard the path to victory was. The Usakino swamps became a place of life and death for our compatriots. Representatives of 69 ethnicities fought here shoulder to shoulder. This fact is particularly important and symbolic in the Year of People's Unity,” he added.
