On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, the historical and patriotic expedition “ETERNAL FLAME” was organized and successfully carried out on the initiative of the primary trade union organizations of leading Moscow universities. This event, included in the list of activities dedicated to the Victory anniversary, was aimed at strengthening historical memory and the patriotic education of youth.
The organization of the expedition was undertaken by the Presidium of the Eurasian Association of Trade Union Organizations of Universities, the Coordinating Council of Chairmen of the All-Russian Education Trade Union, the Moscow City Organization of the All-Russian Education Trade Union, and the primary trade union organization of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU). Collaboration with the Belarusian Trade Union of Education and Science Workers contributed significantly to the preparation, underscoring the inter-state and unifying nature of the project.
The expedition’s route, which took place from April 28 to May 1, 2025, was laid through places of military glory and included the cities of Moscow, Vyazma, Yartsevo, Khatyn, and Minsk. The central element of the program was the holding of solemn wreath and flower-laying ceremonies at memorials where the Eternal Flame burns. Each of these complexes represented a unique monument to the heroism and sacrifices of wartime.
In Moscow, participants paid tribute at the memorial dedicated to the memory of MSU students, professors, and lecturers who died during the war. The path then led to Vyazma, where the memorial complex on Efremov Square is associated with the valor of the 33rd Army under the command of General M.G. Efremov. In Yartsevo, participants visited the mass grave of 3,720 Soviet soldiers, marked by a bronze sculpture of a soldier with a bowed banner.
Of particular importance was the visit to the Khatyn memorial complex in Belarus, created in memory of the tragic fate of hundreds of Belarusian villages destroyed by the Nazis. This monument symbolized the immeasurable sacrifices made by the Belarusian people in the fight for the common Victory. In Minsk, the program included laying flowers at the architectural and sculptural complex “Minsk – Hero City” and the Victory Monument, at the base of which the first Eternal Flame in Belarus was lit in 1961. For the participants, these monuments became not only a testament to the courage of the city’s defenders but also an embodiment of the common historical destiny of the peoples of the former Soviet Union.
To coordinate the preparation and execution of the expedition, an Organizing Committee with broad powers was formed. Its tasks included developing and approving the route and program, forming the list of participants, establishing the participation procedure, as well as information support and preparing the final report.
The expedition involved representatives of the trade union organizations of the initiating universities, as well as, by decision of the organizers, other representatives of the education trade unions – members of the EATUOU (Eurasian Association of Trade Union Organizations of Universities) – who share the goals of preserving the historical truth about the Great Patriotic War. The “ETERNAL FLAME” expedition contributed to the cause of preserving the historical memory of the heroism and tragedy of the war years for future generations.
