The Speaker of the Federation Council met with participants of the Memory Train, an annual cultural and educational project, during its stop in St Petersburg.
“This year, we invited descendants of the victors – representatives from all fifteen former Soviet republics – to join the Memory Train, which is deeply symbolic,” Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko said during the meeting at St Petersburg’s Tauride Palace. The hero city of Leningrad serves as an intermediate stop before the train continues across Russia. For the first time, the route will extend as far as the Urals, crossing the border between Europe and Asia.
According to Valentina Matvienko, this year’s Memory Train holds special significance as it coincides with the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, reinforcing the project’s mission to preserve the truth about our shared heroic past.
“Unfortunately, we see signs of reviving neo-Nazism today – attempts to rewrite history, erase facts, and belittle the role of our nation and other Soviet republics in the Victory in that gruesome war. It is vital, especially for you, the young people representing the new generation, to know your history and safeguard the truth about our Great Victory,” Valentina Matvienko said. “No matter how many books we read about the war or how many films we watch, I believe it can never compare to actually visiting these places and hearing the stories of the heroic deeds accomplished by our people. When you see the names from all 15 republics on these memorial plaques, you truly grasp the glory of our shared history. We must protect this historical truth and block any attempts to distort it.”
She highlighted that the Russian President has placed Memory Train alongside two major initiatives, the Immortal Regiment and St George’s Ribbon.
The Federation Council Speaker noted that before arriving in St Petersburg, the young participants had travelled a long journey, visiting key historical sites across Belarus. In Brest, they met with Natalya Kochanova, Speaker of the Council of the Republic of Belarus’ National Assembly and a co-sponsor of the Memory Train initiative.
Valentina Matvienko extended her best wishes to the young people for Youth Day, celebrated in Russia on the last Saturday of June. She remarked on their good fortune to visit St Petersburg during the magical White Nights season. “You are doubly lucky to be here for Scarlet Sails – the spectacular graduation celebration that millions of young Russians dream of attending,” she said. “We have arranged for the entire Memory Train team to participate in this magnificent festival. We want our young graduates to embark on adulthood under scarlet sails, filled with hope and confidence in their future,” Valentina Matvienko emphasised.
She also noted that the Tauride Palace, where the meeting with project participants took place, holds significant historical importance as the site of Russia’s first parliamentary assembly in the early 20th century. Today, it serves as headquarters for the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and regularly hosts major international forums and conferences. “Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders have frequently addressed the audience here,” she added.
The Federation Council Speaker expressed hope that some participants might one day return to these halls as elected parliament members. She underscored the competitive nature of the Memory Train project, noting that only the best of the best were chosen for the journey. Valentina Matvienko urged participants to share their experiences, everything they witnessed and learned during the project, with their families, friends, and peers. “When the time comes, you’ll pass these memories to your children and grandchildren.“
Valentina Matvienko emphasised that this monumental project demanded extensive preparation, thanking the parliamentary speakers of CIS countries and Turkmenistan for their support, regional leaders in Russia and Belarus along the train’s route, Russian Railways and its CEO Oleg Belozerov, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, and the Federation Council team led by Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, whom she praised as the project’s true trailblazer.
Responding to audience questions, the Federation Council Speaker outlined the Memory Train project’s origins and suggested potential future expansion of participation to include European and Asian countries. She addressed ongoing efforts to combat historical falsification and uphold the truth, strengthen cooperation with friendly countries, and implement youth initiatives. The meeting concluded with a photo session between Valentina Matvienko and participants.
The Memory Train team continues to enjoy a rich cultural programme in St Petersburg, having already visited Peterhof, the Railway Museum, and the Tauride Palace.
A key highlight of the project is the wreath-laying ceremony at Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery, the world’s largest WWII burial ground and memorial site.
Having completed its Belarusian segment with a visit to the historic city of Polotsk the day before, the Memory Train is now halfway through its journey. Participants toured Polotsk State University, the local Cadet School, Spaso-Euphrosyne Monastery, and the Museum of Sophia Cathedral’s architectural history.