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President Vladimir Putin: Dear members of the State Council,

On the agenda of our meeting today are issues of preparing for the celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of Victory. This event determined the fates of many countries and the course of world history itself, for decades to come.

To hold a worthy Victory Anniversary, I think you will all agree, is our duty. Patriotism, courage, the very life of the generation of victors continue to be one of the most important moral criteria today. They became a symbol of the strength of national spirit of our people. A people who did not retreat or break before the enemy. They upheld the sovereignty and honour of our country. They brought freedom to the peoples of the world and Europe, and saved them from enslavement.

Not only is our historical memory linked with the Great Victory. Its legacy continues in many ways to determine Russia’s foreign policy position. And what is extremely important, young generations of our people are brought up on these heroic traditions.

Less than a year remains until the celebrations. And we have very little time to prepare a truly great, memorable and grandiose event.

I would like to stress: we must approach the organisation of celebrations not just attentively, but with special responsibility.

Since 2000, the Russian Organisation Committee “Victory” has been responsible for all issues of organising the celebrations. Everything planned will be carried out in accordance with the list of events confirmed in August 2003.

Considerable experience has already been gained in the regions. It has been studied by a group from the State Council which has presented it in detail in a report.

Allow me to mention the most important tasks. The first, of course is social issues. We always pay particular attention to the social well-being of veterans. We believe this to be a priority of our state policy. And we will try to do what is in our power.

But it is quite obvious that this is still not enough. I believe it is fundamentally important here not just to inform, not just to explain to veterans the steps taken by the State Duma and the Government in this area, but most importantly I think it is necessary to find solutions which would not only not worsen, but would on the contrary improve the situation of veterans.

It is particularly important to involve young people in the anniversary celebrations. They are the heirs of the Great Victory. And they should see that the state is doing its duty, that it remembers and values those who defended the country, who fought for its interests regardless of themselves.

Young people need to study and develop the legacy of the war generation, and continue their traditions.

It is worth seriously thinking about increasing the quality of history teaching at schools and universities, and support and develop the activity of public and youth organisations directed towards patriotic education. And work among young people should not be formal, based on outdated stereotypes.

In connection with this, an important component of the entire preparations for the Victory Day celebrations is organising an information campaign. A campaign based on new forms, using the modern capabilities of media technology, and targeted, of course, at different groups of the population, including both the Russian and the international audience.

At the same time, with the exclusion of individual actions in national media, the information component of the anniversary preparations is not being conducted actively enough.

One of the tasks of information work is to oppose attempts to distort or revise the history of the Second World War, to disparage the contribution of our country to the defeat of Nazism.

I think that the regions have a special role in preparing the anniversary. And a great deal can be done at regional and local levels for effective organisation of search and military and patriotic events, to care for military graveyards and memorials. Federal power should provide the necessary support in these areas.

I would also like to mention a number of tasks which need to be resolved at federal level.

Above all, we must prepare for the 60th anniversary of Victory as a celebration not just of national but of international importance. As a common celebration of CIS nations and countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. Everyone who made their contribution to the war on nazism.

It is clear that Russia is the centre for these celebrations. And we plan to invite the leaders of many countries to the celebrations.

I also believe it is fundamentally important for veterans of allied armies and the anti-Nazi movement to take part in the celebrations. Appropriate instructions have been given to the Russian Government and Foreign Ministry.

We should make provision for additional measures to organise searches for heroes who have not yet been given the awards they won in the war years.

Above all, it remains to create a common reference database for military burial sites, and those who died or vanished without trace. And to publish the “All-Russian Memorial Book” and the multi-volume “History of The Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945” before the anniversary date.

Dear State Council members,

Preparations for the 60th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War are an extremely important national task.

It is with this understanding that we must discuss anniversary preparations today.

Dear colleagues,

The Organisation Committee, the Government and the Presidential Executive Office will take into account everything that was discussed during the meeting today. We have prepared a list of orders to the Russian Government on preparations for the 60th Anniversary of Victory. We will work, I repeat once more, taking into account all the comments that were made today, during our discussion.