Lukashenko praises Belarusians as role models for appreciating the past and preserving peace

VITEBSK, 2 September (BelTA) – The people of Belarus should serve as an example of how to value the past and preserve peace, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko said today as he met with students of higher education institutions in Vitebsk region as part of the Open Microphone with the President question and answer session, BelTA reported.

During their conversation with the head of state, the students also spoke about the importance of preserving historical memory. They stressed the need to fight against the revival of destructive fascist ideology. “What can we do in our country, what projects can we implement or what events can we organize to prevent a repetition of such tragic events and to contribute to the unification of the peoples who suffered during the war years in the interests of a common goal: maintaining peace?” the President was asked.

“Without false immodesty, I can say that no other country can compete with what Belarus and Belarusians are doing. I think we have already done so much that it seems as if we do not need to do anything more. Our example should help us learn to follow these principles and appreciate all this,” stressed Alexander Lukashenko.

The head of state recalled that in the mid-1990s, the destruction of monuments and the renaming of streets were planned in Belarus, but he managed to stop these tendencies.

“We should be the ones from whom you can learn to appreciate your past. We should follow that path. For us it has always been like this: everything is good, everything is OK, you don't have to do anything, things will happen by themselves. So we should not forget that. When I [the WW2 memorial] “Khatyn, when I visit Pobedy Square, I always tell people: 'Come to the monuments and bring your children.' Once we forget the way to the monuments, everything will repeat itself,” the president stressed.