Dear colleagues, dear veterans!
I congratulate you on the main holiday for the entire Belarusian people − Independence Day.

This year we are celebrating a landmark date, the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi invaders. This historic date is a reminder of the price our people paid for Independence. This is a celebration of joy, pride and courage, a day that truly unites our entire society.

The date of July 3 has entered the history of Belarus as a bright page of the heroic valor of front-line soldiers and home front workers, partisans and underground workers who won freedom. We remember that, thanks to the people's struggle, a significant part of the territory of the BSSR was controlled by partisans even before the arrival of the Red Army, there was Soviet power here. We do not forget that there were many scientists of the Academy of Sciences in the ranks of the liberators of Belarusian towns and villages from the Nazis, that many of them brought the liberation of our Homeland closer by working tirelessly in the rear. Resilience, the will to Win, the ability to give everything for the benefit of a common goal is an example for current generations.

The great feat of the people during the Great Patriotic War is of particular importance for modern history, forms the civil position of the nation, strengthens the sense of patriotism. President of Belarus Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko vividly and figuratively said this during the Victory Day celebration: "If we forget the past, stop coming to the monuments – it will come to us. And remember the conclusion made by mankind: as you treat the memory of your ancestors, especially those who gave you life and freedom, so will future generations treat you… We instruct children and grandchildren to cherish the truth about that war as the highest value. For us, it is a symbol of the inseparable connection of generations, one of the foundations of the spiritual unity and cohesion of the people."

Scientists of the NAS of Belarus held a series of events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus. The largest was the international forum Belarus During the Great Patriotic War: History and Modernity (to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Belarus), dedicated to the anniversary of the liberation of Belarus from Nazi occupation. This scientific conference concentrated the efforts of many scientific organizations and educational institutions to preserve the objective memory of the events related to the anniversary, and became a landmark patriotic project.

Today, many falsifications are being fabricated in the West, according to which the occupiers and aggressors are presented almost as liberators. Monuments to the liberating soldiers are being destroyed, and history is being rewritten. But we haven't forgotten. And a vivid confirmation of this is the All-Belarusian campaign National Chronicle of the Great Patriotic War: Let's Remember Everyone!, initiated by the NAS of Belarus. The fourth volume of the project is already created, which contains memories of soldiers, officers and ordinary people who had to live in difficult military conditions. This peculiar flame of memory is being picked up by more and more people of different ages and professions who are not indifferent to its preservation. In each book there are people and their difficult destinies. And all new participants are joining it. This means that the memory relay proved to be in demand and necessary. The series will continue and be updated with new materials and facts!

Independence Day (Republic Day) is a symbol of peace in the long-suffering Belarusian land. Today we say special words of gratitude to our veterans, who liberated the capital and the country from the invaders, restored the republic and for many years strengthened its power and prosperity. This feat is of lasting importance for modern history, forms the civic position of the Belarusian people, strengthens the sense of patriotism, and is an example for young people and the younger generation.

I sincerely wish you all good health, peace and prosperity.
Happy holidays to all of you!
May there always be a peaceful sky over our Belarusian land!