Great Victory! 80 years

On June 22, a special screening of the film "Once upon a Time there was a Girl", dedicated to the Day of Remembrance and Mourning, took place at the cultural center of the Russian Embassy.

The film premiered in 1944, it began to be shot as soon as the Blockade ring was broken – there are no decorations, the destroyed Leningrad became a film set. The eyes of war children looked at us from the screen, and their story was told to us by witnesses of that cruel experiment of Nazi Germany – to completely destroy the city's population with a Blockade. Now it is impossible to imagine how people could survive that time.

Crimes committed by fascists do not and will not have a statute of limitations. The genocide of the Soviet people is one of the most tragic pages in world history. We have no right to forget this, we cannot allow someone to rewrite the history of our Victory, the feat of our Great People. Thank you to everyone who came today and shared this evening with us!

On May 23, as part of the international project "Common Victory", with the support of RT, Mosfilm and the Russian Embassy, a screening of the film "The Cranes are Flying" took place.

Naturally and expectedly, no one remained indifferent. Alexey Batalov and Tatiana Samoilova in the main roles make the viewer empathize, tears involuntarily come up – evidence that even after 80 years since the Great Victory, the horror of the war and the feat of our people are forever imprinted in the genetic memory.

A masterpiece of Soviet cinema, which received worldwide recognition and endless love from the audience. On the one hand, there is no happy ending – the lovers were forever separated by the war, but on the other hand there is a Victory – one for all. And then life, but it's different. With an eye to the past, so that it does not happen again, so that there is peace, so that children do not die, the elderly do not starve, and families do not separate. The film makes you think once again about the price of a peaceful life and a clear sky above your head.

And the final scene of the cranes flying over, like a line from Gamzatov, was imprinted here, among several generations who today saw a great film about a great sacrifice for the sake of a common Victory.

From May 14 to May 18, 2025, as part of a voyage around the African continent dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the Kruzenstern training sailing vessel was docked in the port of Mauritius. 

The ship was built in 1926 and originally belonged to Germany, but after the end of World War II it was transferred as a reparation to the Soviet Union. So, in early 1946, the Soviet naval flag was hoisted on the ship, and in February it was named "Kruzenshtern" – in honor of the great scientist, Russian Admiral Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern.

 The Kruzenshtern visited the island almost 20 years ago, during its second circumnavigation of the world. On May 14, at 9 a.m., this moment came again – the legendary sailboat, the pride and treasure of Russia, entered the port of Mauritius. On the approach to the island in the open sea, it was met by our windsurfers Alexander Zlobinsky and Dmitry Mukhin, kitesurfer Konstantin Aksenov and foiler Dmitry Evseev.

Over the course of four days, about 5,000 people visited our legendary sailboat – representatives of the country's top leadership, diplomatic missions, residents of the island, compatriots, and tourists. The crew greeted all the guests with true Russian hospitality and proudly told them about the Kruzenshtern.

The history of a sailing ship is not only the history of entire shipping, it is also the history of our Great Victory! 

In an interview, Russian Ambassador to Mauritius Irada Zeynalova: "Kruzenshtern is one of the links in the development of relations between our countries."

On May 11, as part of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, a grand classical music concert was held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Russia, the Embassy and Rosconcert. 

The winners of the Tchaikovsky International Competition, Alexander Gindin (piano), Gaik Kazazian (violin), Alexander Ramm (cello) and Zinaida Tsarenko (mezzo–soprano), showed their skills on the stage of the Caudan Arts Center.

The full house featured music by great composers, immortal world classics, as well as songs from the war years, and the encore was «Seventeen Moments of Spring» by Mikael Tariverdiev. Millions of people have watched this film, and the music from it is recognized all over the world. The applause did not stop, because the Mauritians know and were once again convinced that the level of performance of Russian musicians is one of the highest in the world.

On May 9, a concert of the sestet of the Lyudmila Zykina State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble «Russia» took place at the Embassy’s Cultural Center, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Russia and Rosconcert. The artists performed Russian folk songs and songs of the war years. The legendary «Katyusha» was sung by the whole hall – both children and adults.

The Soviet soldier went through the whole war with a song that helped in battle, which supported the light of hope and faith in Victory, which led to a feat! Often, the military died with a song on their lips, showing the enemy their indomitable will and the invincibility of our people. Today, together with the ensemble, we sang those songs that have been known and loved since childhood – this is an important page of our culture that unites generations.

On the Day of the Great Victory, a touching video message from war veterans and home front workers was played at the Russian Embassy. Their feat will never be forgotten!

Where metal was melting, where concrete was crumbling, people continued to stand – they covered our Homeland from the enemy. Beautiful, talented and often so young, but with a steel core inside! 

People who know firsthand what war is, wish us all the same thing – a peaceful sky!

On May 9, the Embassy's Cultural Center traditionally hosted the «Immortal Regiment» campaign, as well as the «Faces of the Immortal Regiment» photo exhibition. We honored the memory of the war heroes, remembered the feat of our great-grandfathers.

Welcoming the audience, the Ambassador stressed the special importance of memory for generations, because now we are protecting the world in which our children and grandchildren will live. That is why we must preserve what the veterans have given us. And several hundred participants from different parts of Russia and Mauritius are already a symbol of how important memory is.

On Great Victory Day, the Embassy's Cultural Center hosted a watching of the Parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory on Red Square.

A low bow to the veterans who closed the world with their bodies from Nazism. A low bow to all those who are currently defending our homeland and our freedom.

The Embassy's cultural center hosted an exhibition of the best works of frontline journalism dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

The exhibition, prepared by the Rossiya Segodnya media group and the international news agency and radio Sputnik, featured 30 unique wartime photographs from the archive of the Soviet Information Bureau. Among them are Izrael Ozersky's photograph "Soldier's Labor", Max Alpert’s photos "Combat" and "Victory Parade on Moscow’s Red Square", as well as Yevgeny Khaldei's famous "The First Day of War" taken on June 22, 1941. All these shots have become symbols of the Great Victory and the memory of the heroism of Soviet soldiers.

Each photo, story and commemorative date are bridges connecting the past and the present, a reminder that every step towards the Great Victory was taken with incredible fortitude, courage and love for the Motherland.

On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, the Embassy has started the St. George Ribbon patriotic campaign – we distribute to everyone a symbol of loyalty to duty and bravery of our large multinational people.

For more than 20 years, millions of ribbons have been spreading around the world on the eve of the great holiday, reminding us of the people who defeated fascism - this is a way to say "thank you" for a feat, for a free country to those who fought for our future, to all those who remained on the battlefields, to all those who are still standing guard over peace and goodness.

You can receive a ribbon at all our events – and, of course, on the main holiday on May 9th.

On April 25, 2025, the Embassy joined the «Victory Dictation» campaign for the first time. The members of the Coordinative Council of Russian compatriots residing in Mauritius and the staff of the diplomatic mission became participants in the most massive International historical dictation in the entire history of the event.

Today we remembered the heroes, history and stages of the Great War together. Each region had its own set of questions, selected from those that were sent from all over the world. Among the questions was ours about Mauritius.

More than 90 countries joined the large-scale educational campaign aimed at increasing historical literacy. Anyone who was unable to participate in the event in person is invited to do so online on the official Victory Dictation website  https://диктантпобеды.рф.

The Russian Embassy in Mauritius is preparing to hold the main holiday of this year – the 80^th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and an extensive program is planned.

1. Dictation of Victory

On April 25, at 18:00, the Dictation of Victory 2025 will take place at the Russian Embassy in Mauritius. Let's remember together the heroes and events that 80 years ago were able to turn the entire course of world history.

You can register for dictation, as well as take training tests for preparation on the official website: https://диктантпобеды.рф.

2. Screening of the Victory Parade

On May 9, at 16:30, the cultural center of the Russian Embassy in Mauritius will host the screening of the military parade in commemoration of the 80^th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War on Red Square in Moscow. Last year, more than nine thousand people and 70 units of equipment participated in the parade. It is known that this year the parade crews will include participants of the special military operation.

3. The «Immortal Regiment» campaign

On May 9, at 17:30, an «Immortal Regiment» campaign will take place at the Russian Embassy in Mauritius. Let's honor the memory of the war heroes, let's remember the feat of our great-grandfathers, because there is not a single family in Russia and the allied countries that would not be affected by the war. Each family has its own names, its own history.

4. Gala concerts

On May 9, at 18:00, a concert of the sestet of the Lyudmila Zykina State Academic Russian Folk Ensemble «Russia» will take place at the cultural center of the Russian Embassy in Mauritius. Famous folk compositions, as well as songs from the war years, will be performed.

On May 11, at 18:00, the Caudan Arts Center will host a concert by the winners of the International Tchaikovsky Competition – Alexander Gindin, Gaik Kazazyan, Alexander Ramm, Zinaida Tsarenko. Immortal masterpieces of classical music will be performed.

5. Photo exhibition «Faces of the Immortal Regiment»

Today it is very important to remember and talk about those who fought both at the front and in the rear. You can talk about each hero for hours – these are unique stories.

In the cultural center of the Embassy, as part of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory, a photo exhibition will be held dedicated to the heroes of the war – people who, despite all the hardships, managed to stand up and defeat a strong enemy. Their steadfastness, dedication and faith in victory became decisive factors in defeating Nazism and liberating Europe.

We invite everyone to our events, come with your families, take your children with you. Together we will remember and honor the memory of those who did not live to see this day, those who are now looking at us from photos. Our task is to know, remember and carry through the centuries the pride of the feat of our people. 

Event announcements, as well as all relevant information, can be found on our official Telegram channel.