On January 25, on the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Voronezh from Nazi invaders, a memorial rally was held in the park near the main building of VSU. VSU students and staff gathered at the memorial dedicated to the university staff and students who died in the Great Patriotic War. The event was organised with the help of the VSU Coordination Centre staff.
Oleg Grishaev, Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Social Development, gave a speech at the event.
“81 years ago, Voronezh was in ruins. Nevertheless, our city recovered, and in the 1960s it was probably the most beautiful city in Central Russia, the second largest after Moscow. Nowadays, it is especially important to remember what fascism is and what was the price of our victory in the Great Patriotic War.
Lyudmila Vladimirova, Chair of the Trade Union Committee of VSU, also made a speech.
On January 25, two important dates converge. The first is beautiful and festive, the Russian Students Day, and the second is sacred, the Day of Voronezh Liberation. We must remember that Voronezh was not conquered: for 212 days, the defenders of the Voronezh frontline resisted and withstood the onslaught of the fascist international forces. I wish that what our grandparents and parents experienced would always remain in our memory, warning us against mistakes.
This day, flowers were also laid at mass grave No. 440 in the Kozo-Polyansky Botanical Garden of VSU. Voronezh State University remembers and will remember the heroism of its students and staff who defended Voronezh during the Great Patriotic War.
