DUSHANBE, April 22, 2010, Asia-Plus — Initiated by the Russian Embassy in Dushanbe and Russian Military Base 201 in Tajikistan, the St. George’s Ribbon action to commemorate the 65th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 was launched in Tajikistan today.
The action in memory of the victims of World War II has been carried out in Tajikistan under the motto of “I Remember, I Am Proud!” for already four years
Today morning, representatives from TV studio at the Russian military base were handing over the ribbons to people at the Dousti Square in Dushanbe.
According to the TV Studio 201, the action on handing over these black-and-orange ribbons symbolizing the combat feat of World War II veterans will last until May 9 and it is expected to involve more than one million people
The St. George Ribbon constitutes one of the most recognized and respected symbols of military valor in modern Russia. It is widely associated with the commemoration of World War II. The ribbon consists of a black and orange bicolor pattern, with three black and two orange stripes.
The Georgian ribbon emerged as part of the Order of St. George, established in 1769 as the highest military decoration of Imperial Russia and re-established in 1998 by the Russian Federation. The ribbon of the Order of Glory, an order of the Soviet Union that was established on November 8, 1943, was orange with three black stripes – the same as that of the Cross of St. George. The Order of Glory was awarded to non-commissioned officers and rank-and-file of the armed forces, as well as junior lieutenants of the air force, for bravery in the face of the enemy.
Since the 60th anniversary of the Victory Day (May 9, 2005), the ribbon is freely worn by civilians as an act of commemoration and remembrance.
More than 280,000 residents of Tajikistan participated in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and some 70,000 of them died in battles. 55 residents of Tajikistan were given the title of Hero of the Soviet Union; the last of them, Pavel Khanzhin, died in Dushanbe three years go. Besides, 15 other Tajikistan’s residents were Full Holders of the Order of Glory.
