Kirov schoolchildren planted lilacs at the monument to Marshal Konev on Victory Day.

      The patriotic movement "Gardens of Memory" originated in the Vyatka region in the year of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory and, with the support of State Duma deputy and chairman of the Union of Gardeners of Russia Oleg Valenchuk, quickly spread across all of Russia. Planting apple trees—living green monuments to the heroes who liberated the world from fascism—is not a one-time event. Today, it has become a good tradition. It aims to preserve the memory of the ancestors' feats, the history of the country, and the history of each family.

      In preparation for this event, the children from the primary branch of the "Movement of the First" prepared in advance. Together with their families, they studied the biographies of their fighting ancestors, gathered information about relatives who worked in the rear, and learned the stories of their heroism. The schoolchildren printed portraits of their heroes, prepared flowers, and on May 9, to the sounds of military songs, planted lilac seedlings.

      As Tatiana Nikolaenko, the head of the "Movement of the First" branch at the Children's Creativity House "Inspiration," explained, the first apple trees in this place appeared back in 2017, and now the garden is replenished with new trees every year. "Here, the kids play after classes, celebrate holidays, and hold reunions. The children watch the trees grow, take care of them, and try to protect them from damage," she noted.

      This year, the garden was adorned with lilacs. This flowering bush became a symbol of Victory in 1945, and it was greatly loved by our renowned compatriot—Marshal Ivan Konev.

      State Duma deputy and chairman of the Union of Gardeners of Russia Oleg Valenchuk emphasized the importance of preserving memory: "As long as we remember, we live! A low bow to all participants of the patriotic movement 'Gardens of Memory.' Today, when our compatriots are once again fighting for the Motherland, it is especially important to remember the price we paid for Victory. Our duty is to preserve the memory of the feats of the generation of Victors."

      On the eve of Victory Day, more than 200 people visited the museum of Marshal Konev, organized at the initiative of State Duma deputy Oleg Valenchuk, for tours.

      Every Wednesday, young guides from the primary branch of the Movement of the First at the Children's Creativity House "Inspiration" in Kirov conduct tours for kindergarten graduates, schoolchildren, veterans, and residents of Kirov.

      During these May days, the museum welcomed: graduates of kindergarten 205 in Kirov, students of class 6-v from school No. 26, pupils of the Central Veterans' Society of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the Kirov region, students of classes 1-b and 3-a from school No. 52, class 6-b from school No. 53, graduates of the House of Culture MBOU No. 33 in Kirov, students of class 7 from KOGOVU SHOVZ No. 13 in Kirov, and students of classes 2-a and 4-v from school No. 26.

      Teachers were presented with Letters of Appreciation from State Duma deputy Oleg Valenchuk for their active participation in the patriotic project "Konev – Marshal of Victory." The children received commemorative notebooks, took a group photo, and laid flowers at the monument to Ivan Stepanovich Konev. In gratitude, the children gifted the guides with poems and songs from the war years, as well as festive badges with the St. George ribbon, made by their own hands.