All news

Heads of state news agencies of CIS countries to discuss preparations for Victory Day

Organizers of the event noted that discussing preparations for the Victory Day anniversary celebrations in St. Petersburg has a great symbolic significance

ST. PETERSBURG, June 7. /TASS/. Participants in the 26th Council of heads of state news agencies of CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries will discuss on Friday issues of cooperation in covering preparations for and celebrations of the 75th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Organizers of the event noted that discussing preparations for the anniversary celebrations in St. Petersburg has a great symbolic significance.

"The fight of our peoples against Nazism and the victory over the brown plague is a feat that brings together not only the generations that went through deadly trials but also their successors," chairman of the CIS Informational Council, TASS Director General Sergey Mikhaylov said. He noted that there have been more attempts in the recent years to distort the historical truth about the Great Patriotic War, to justify, rehabilitate and even heroize Hitler's supporters.

"Under the pretext of 'decommunization' in some countries, there are instances of outright harassment of veterans, desecration of monuments and memories of those who died in the war," Mikhaylov noted. He said that in the year of the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day, state news agencies bear special responsibility to make sure that living war veterans are paid due respects, along with the memories of those who heroically fought and died on the battlefield.

Heads of the news agencies will discuss preparations for joint projects devoted to the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day, exchange opinions and plans on covering large-scale international events, such as the 2nd European Games in Belarus in June, as well as on organizing press tours and creative seminars for journalists and photo-correspondents. They will also discuss informational support for the Delfisky Games in CIS.

CIS Informaitonal Council

The CIS Informational Council was founded in November 1995. Among participants are heads of state news agencies of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Tajikistan.

The CIS Informational Council aims to ensure informational cooperation among CIS countries, to create favorable conditions for unhindered access to information and effective exchange of professional experience, and to strengthen the media partnership.

The session of the CIS Informational Council will be held on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).