5 May, 2010 04:34

St George Ribbon campaign bonds the nation in WWII remembrance

Russia has launched its annual St George ribbon campaign to mark the upcoming 65th anniversary of the victory in World War Two. The ribbon is a symbol of remembrance of those who fought and defeated Nazi Germany.

A tiny piece of fabric with immense meaning – the St George ribbon may be small, but as part of the campaign launched in 2005, it has become a large part of the Russian Victory day celebrations.

In the five years of the campaign, millions of the striped ribbons have been circulating throughout Russia and far beyond, reaching Europe, the Middle East, America and even Australia! This year organizers expect a record demand.

Starting from April 22, Russians may see a particular orange and black striped ribbon appearing on cars, posters, bags, purses and many other places. The ribbon consists of a bicolor pattern, with three black and two orange stripes.

“Once you wear it, you say ‘I remember!’ Remember all those who sacrificed their lives for the victory and say ‘thank you’ to all those still alive,” says campaign co-ordinator Aleksandr Khudyakov.

The war claimed the lives of almost 27 million Soviet citizens, mainly civilians, and the 30-centimeter ribbon links a long distance between past and present, unifying generations in remembering a turning point in world history.

A small factory in Central Russia was founded a century ago. During the Second World War, just like many others, this particular enterprise worked for the frontline, producing military uniforms. And just like its workers many years ago, forging victory in these walls, today dozens of others are producing one of its symbols – the St George ribbon.

“We've made 2,000 kilometers of this ribbon for this year's celebrations! Which is by itself very symbolic, as this is the exact distance between Moscow and Russia's western border from where the Nazis started their invasion and where they were pushed back by the Soviet troops,” says factory worker Oleg Belousov.

The black and orange stripes of the ribbon symbolize the smoke and flames of war. In tsarist Russia, it decorated the Order of St George – the highest possible military award.

“One of the most precious pieces in our historic museum is the St George Star and the Order of St George, the 1st degree. It's a very rare award – over the Order's 200 year history, only 25 of these have ever been given out,” says historian Valery Durov.

Nowadays in Russia, the Order of St George remains the most prestigious military honor.

Since 2000, only nine of them have found their heroes, but the victory colors of the St George ribbon are something anyone can wear, and they do – to show their respect and gratitude to the Second World War heroes.

To learn more about the St George ribbon’s significance, follow the link.

CIS:

Belarus

Yevroopt stores
Chisto Company tel.: +37529 397 9797

Kazahstan

Association of Children's and Youth Organizations of the Kostanay region
Ribbons will be available at the Association’s office: Kostanay, ul.Altynsarina, 106 (Youth Social Service), and at events held in the city from April 24, 2010 to May 9.

Kyrgyzstan

Narodny store chain

OTHER COUNTRIES:

Argentina

Buenos Aires
Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Argentina
1114, Uriburu 1252, 2 piso, dep.C
Sergey Tolkachev

Australia

Sydney
Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Australia
115 Hogans Drive
Bargo NSV 2574
Igor Savitsky

Canberra
Natasha Aksyonova
Tel. 0400337550
Kira Savina
Tel. 0404234193

Austria

Vienna
Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots in Austria
1010 Wien, Singerstrasse 4/12
Irina ÃƒÂÃ…â€œoutchkina

Belgium

Brussels
Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Belgium
European Russian Community:
Rue Docteur Haibe 2 – 5002 St. Servais
Sergey Petrossov

Flemish Association of Russian-speakers
Aghajanian Arena
Flemish Association of Russian-speakers (FARG)
Gravin Margaretalaan 46
9150 Kruibeke

Bulgaria

Plovdiv
Fatherland Society
zh-k Trakia, bl. 267, vkh. B, ap. 6
Olga Atanasova, Chairman

Plovdiv
Slavyanka Women’s Forum

Canada

Toronto
Council of Russian Compatriots

Czech Republic

The Russian Tradition association and Coordinating Council of Compatriots
Ruska tradice, o.s.
Vocelova 602/3
120 00 Praha 2

Public association: For a Multicultural Europe
Plzenska 370, 267 01 Kraluv Dvur

The Chekhiya Segodnya monthly newspaper
Havlickova 11, 110 00 Praha 1

The Prazhsky Telegraf weekly newspaper
Havlickova 11, 110 00 Praha 1

Chili

Coordinating Council of Compatriots in Chili
7510019, Santiago General Holley 2326, dept 905

China

Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots
200002, Shanghai, Yan’an Dong Lu, 100 hao, 1107 shi (Lianyi Dasha)
Mikhail Drozdov

Cyprus

Russian publishing house Vestnik Kipra
P.O. Box 58236
Limassol 3732
Kristina Roosileht

Germany

Berlin
Dialogue Compatriots Club

Berlin
Intercultural Integration Tatar Union of Germany
Wilhelm-Guddorf-Str. 24, 10365
Venera Gerasimov-Vagizova

Nurnberg
Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Germany,
Russian-German Cultural Centre
Rothenbacher Hauptstr. 74, 90449
Irina Fiksel

Frankfurt-am-Main
Russian cultural-educational and social center Istok
Baumweg 10 60316
Larissa Jurtscenko

Karlsruhe
Russian House

Munich
Russian Cultural Centre
(Zentrum russischer Kultur in München, MIR e.V.)
Schellingstrasse 115, 80798
Tatjana Lukina

Hamburg
Office of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Hamburg,
Rossisko-germanskij Business Center Kronstadt
Neuer Wall 61, 20354

Russian web-sites www.russian-online.net, www.russisch-fuer-kinder.de
Ransen 2
36251 Bad Hersfeld
Polina Sorel

Denmark

Russian Society of Denmark
(Det Russiske Samfund i Danmark)
Drejøgade 26E, 2.-201
2100 Københavh OE
Olga Kontogeorgis

Russian children’s school at the Russian Cultural and Scientific Centre
(Det Russiske Center for Videnskab og Kultur)
Vester Voldgade 11
1552 København V

Egypt

Russian Compatriots Club “Alexandria”

Finland

Helsinki
The Finnish Association of Russian-speaking communities (FARO)

Tampere
Russian Club
Tampereen Venäläinen klubi ry
Suvantokatu 13, 2 krs., 33100

France

Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in France

Imperial Guard Commemoration Society
(Gvardeyskoe Obyedinenie)

Center for the Russian Language and Culture
(Centre de Langue et Culture Russe)

Greece

Coordinating council of Russian compatriots in Greece

Iceland

Reykjavik
St. Nicholas parish of the Moscow Patriarchate
Oldugata 44, 101
Tel.:. 699-12-12
Ribbons distributed daily

Reykjavik
Fossvogur cemetery
Ribbons distributed May 8 from 10:00 to 11:00

Ireland

Publishing House “Nasha Gazeta”
Russian House 55 O'Connell Street Lower
Dublin 1
Sergey Tarutin

Israel

Union of Russian Expatriate Associations of Israel

Russian Information and Cultural Center in the State of Israel
P.O.B. 661, Natanya 42106, Israel

Tel Aviv
Union of the World War II veterans

Italy

Cultural Association of Expatriates from the USSR

Piedmont
Association of Russian Compatriots

Macedonia

Skopje
Chayka Society

Morocco

The “Russian Speaking Women of Morocco” association (Casablanca)

Netherlands

Rotterdam
Coordinating Council of Compatriots in Holland
COVOR
Postbus 21394
3001 AJ

Norway

Norwegian-Russian Cultural Centre (NRCC)

Russian Language Centre in Oslo

Poland

Belostok
Russian Cultural-Educational Society
15-097, ul. M. Sklodowskiej-Curie 8/37.

Portugal

Faro
The “House of Russian Language and Culture” association

Romania

Russian Lipovans Community in Romania
USA

Slovakia

Union of Russians in Slovakia

Slovenia

International Club of Slavic compatriots “Ruslo”
(Mednarodni klub slovanskih rojakov)
Zaliska 54
1000 Ljubljana
Yevgeny Meleshchenko

South Africa

Association of Russian compatriots in South Africa
Tatiana Zhdanok (European Parliament)

Spain

Coordinating Council of Compatriots

Madrid
Russian House federation in Spain

Barcelona
Pushkin Center of Russian Language and Culture

Alicante
Association of Immigrants from Eastern Europe in Alicante (AIPEA)
Hotel de Entidades de Interes Social
03010, Calle Rafael Asin 12 Bajo

Sweden

Union of Russian Societies in Sweden (RURIK),
Coordinating Council of Compatriots in Sweden

Website for compatriots www.arthologram.nu
Hägnev. 20
522 30 Tidaholm
Petrushenko Irina

Society for Cultural and Economic Relations between Sweden and Russia
Helmfeltsgatan 7
211 48 Malmo
Larisa Brattmark

Switzerland

Association of Russian Compatriots in Switzerland (ARCS)

Turkey

Istanbul
Russian Society for Education, Cultural and Business Cooperation

United Arab Emirates

Ribbons are distributed by the following companies and organizations: Russkoe Radio, Aeroflot, Russian Airlines, Aerosvit, Ukrainian Airlines, S7. Siberia, Ural Airlines, Russian schools in Dubai and Sharjah, The St. Petersburg State University of Engineering Economics international branch in Dubai, the Russian restaurants Fantaziya, Arbat, Nefertiti and Troika, Russkaya Kniga bookstore, the Russian food stores Moskovsky, Schastlivchik and Zelyonaya Dolina, the Parish of St. Philip the Apostle of the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian bakeries, travel agencies and car rentals.

United Kingdom

Ellen Wilkinson School
Queens Drive, Acton, London, W3 0HW
Saturday, from 10:00 to 14:00

Sarah Bonnell School
Deanery Road, Stratford, London, E15 4LP
Victoria Garanin
Saturday, from 10:00 to 14:00

Pushkin House
5a Bloomsbury Square, London, WC1A 2TA
Natalya Purishko
Saturday from 10:00 to 15:00

David Game College
69 Notting Hill Gate, London, W11 3JS
Victoria Garanin
Sunday from 14:00 to 18:00

Russian Dance Academy, Priory Community Centre,
Acton Lane, Acton W3 8NY
Zoya Alistratova
Tuesday, Friday from 17:00 to 20:00

USA

Washington, DC
American Association of Russian Language, Culture, and Education (AARCE)
8400 Rhode Island Avenue
College Park, MD 20740
Marina Dullnig