The St. George Ribbon action to distribute black-and-orange ribbons – a symbol of the victory in World War II – is ongoing in Tajikistan. However, there will be no a large-scale St. George Ribbon action in the country this year.
The representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo (the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation) in Tajikistan has distributed St. George Ribbons to educational institutions.
People wanting to receive the ribbons may apply to Rossotrudnichestvo’s office in Dushanbe.
The St. George’s Ribbon action in memory of the victims of World War II is carried out under the motto of “We Remember! We Are Proud!”
The St. George’s Ribbon campaign was initially launched in Russia back in 2005 by the Rossiya Segodnya news agency as a manifestation of national memory, a bond between generations and a link to former military glory. Since then, it has become a tradition for Russians to wear the ribbon of St. George ahead of Victory Day, celebrated in the country on May 9.
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.
And what about the “Immortal Regiment” march?
People from various regions of Tajikistan have expressed wish to participate in the “Immortal Regiment” march.
Veterans of war and labor have applied to authorities asking for permission to organize the “Immortal Regiment” march this year. But they have not yet received reply to their request.
Recall, Tajik authorities last year decided not to go ahead with the “Immortal Regiment” march to mark the anniversary of the World War II victory over Nazi Germany.
Tajik national news agency Khovar reported on May 4 last year that the decision was prompted by security concerns and “Islamic traditions that do not approve of the public display of pictures of deceased people.”
The “Immortal Regiment” marched across Dushanbe on May 9, 2017 nevertheless. About 300 people participated in the procession in honor of the veterans of World War II (WW II) carrying photographs of their relatives who took part in WW II.
The ‘Immortal Regiment’ is a public non-profit organization, created in Russia on a voluntary basis with the aim of "immortalizing" the memory of home front workers, partisans and members of the resistance, concentration camp prisoners, survivors of the Siege of Leningrad and children of war.
The ‘Immortal Regiment’ brings together people of all ages, social groups and political beliefs. Anyone can carry on the memory of war veterans and enroll to participate in the march to honor the memory of those who earned the hard-won victory in 1945.
Since its inception in 2007, the ‘Immortal Regiment’ initiative has been met with unprecedented support, and by 2015 it had received national status.
