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October Revolution anniversary marked by flower-laying ceremonies at Lenin statue in Minsk

 

The 96th anniversary of the so-called October Revolution, the overthrow of a provisional government in Russia by a coup d'etat on November 7, 1917, was marked by flower-laying ceremonies at the statue of Vladimir Lenin (Ulyanov) in Minsk's Independence Square on the morning of November 7.

In Belarus, this date continues to be observed as a public holiday.

Some 1000 people representing the pro-government Communist Party of Belarus (CPB), the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, the Belarusian National Youth Union and the Belarusian National Young Pioneer Organization attended a flower-laying ceremony featuring a military guard of honor, which began in the square at 10 a.m. Flower baskets were placed at the foot of the statue to the sound of a military brass band on behalf of these organizations.

The ambassadors of Cuba and Vietnam took part in the ceremony.

October Revolution Day is an important holiday for Belarus because factories and plants were created and an educational system was established in the country in the Soviet era, Ihar Karpenka, deputy head of the Minsk City Executive Committee who chairs the CPB, told reporters during the ceremony.

The October Revolution created conditions for the emergence of the Belarusian state, Mr. Karpenka said.

Some 50 representatives of the opposition "Spravedlivy Mir" (Just World) Belarusian Party of the Left, formerly called the Belarusian Party of Communists, held a separate flower-laying ceremony.

Although the Spravedlivy Mir party considers itself a pro-democracy organization, the party values the ideals of fairness and equality that were fought for in the October Revolution, thinks highly of the revolution leader, Vladimir Lenin, and believes that Belarus’ statehood was a result of that revolution, said Valery Ukhnalyow, deputy chairman of the party.

Flowers were also laid by a group of representatives of the Movement for Democracy, Social Progress and Justice. //BelaPAN