Oleg Valenchuk: Gardens of Memory – a symbol of our unity!

      The "Gardens of Memory" movement originated in the Vyatka region 11 years ago. In the spring of 2015, schoolchildren from the village of Selezhenikha proposed to plant trees as living symbols in memory of fallen heroes. The idea was supported by State Duma deputy and chairman of the Union of Gardeners of Russia Oleg Valenchuk, and soon the initiative spread far beyond the region. Today, more than 26,000 trees have been planted in the Kirov region alone. Seedlings are provided annually by the Union of Gardeners of Russia. Apple alleys have adorned school plots, areas near kindergartens and cultural centers, yards, and parks.

      The campaign traditionally started in early May in the southern districts. At the Children's Assistance Center in the city of Sosnovka in the Vyatskopolyansky district, a Garden of Memory was established in honor of the heroes of the Great Patriotic War, local wars, and the special military operation.

      According to Tatiana Bakshaeva, the deputy director of secondary school No. 3 in Yaran, their school has been participating in the "Gardens of Memory" campaign for over ten years.

      – During this time, more than 40 apple trees, lilac bushes, and other trees have appeared on the school grounds, which occupies an entire hectare. Traditionally, trees in memory of local heroes who died during the Great Patriotic War are planted by the school's graduates together with first-graders. This year, 20 graduates from the 11th grade and 23 first-graders participated in the campaign. The children always approach this event with great enthusiasm and responsibility, – says Tatiana Alexeyevna.

      New Gardens of Memory have been established this year at the Kiknur school with advanced study of certain subjects, in the Lebyazhsky district of the Kirov region, on the grounds of the village school in Vetoshkino, at the Tuzhinsky Children's Assistance Center, at the Shishovskaya primary school in the Sanchursky district, in the village of Pavlovo, in the villages of Vtoroy Lastik, Voya, and Bezvodnoye in the Pizhan district, and at the kindergarten "Beryozka" in the village of Ryabinovshina in the Nolin district.

      Similar campaigns have taken place in many villages and settlements in the Kirov region. Each tree is not just an element of landscape design, but a symbol of continuity: as long as the gardens grow, the memory of those who once studied within the walls of these schools and gave their lives for a peaceful sky lives on.

      Living monuments also appeared this spring in the courtyards of apartment buildings in the city of Kirov: apple trees and lilacs now grow at Surikova Street, 18, Builders Avenue, 50/3, Moscow Street, 118/1, and Lenin Street, 191/1. At the monument to Marshal Konev in Kirov, schoolchildren from the Children's Creativity House "Inspiration" planted lilacs as a symbol of Victory.

      – The Gardens of Memory are a symbol of our unity, patriotism, and love for the Motherland! - says Oleg Valenchuk. – Unfortunately, modern children can no longer learn the history of the Great Patriotic War from the first-hand accounts, as there are very few living witnesses of those terrible war days left. And today, when Russia once again confronts the resurgent fascism, our common task is to preserve historical truth. I am confident that when they grow up, today's schoolchildren will bring their children and grandchildren to these gardens, and the memory of our ancestors' feats will be preserved for centuries.