The day began with the laying of flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Sybirak and at the monument on Traugutta Street, dedicated to the victims of Soviet deportations. Memorial services were also held at the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas and at the Church of the Holy Spirit.
The central ceremony was held by the monument of the Sybirak Mother, in front of the Sybir Memorial Museum. The event gathered representatives of local and regional authorities, including the Voivode of Podlasie Jacek Brzozowski, Deputy Mayor of Białystok Rafał Rudnicki, Karol Pilecki, a councilor in legislative assembly of Podlasie voivodship, and members of the Sybirak community, led by Jolanta Hryniewicka, President of the Białystok branch of the Association of Sybiraks.
In his speech, Jacek Brzozowski, the Voivode of Podlasie stressed the need to draw lessons from history:
“We cannot afford to be reckless in assuming that this time we can talk about the end of history. In the East, as we can see more and more clearly, little has changed. The heirs of Soviet policy are still active, and the evil empire continues to exist. Let us therefore use our past experiences not only to commemorate, but also to prepare for the future and to take care of our common security today.”
Deputy Mayor of Białystok Rafał Rudnicki emphasized the responsibility of preserving the memory of those who suffered deportations:
“I think that it is up to us, the descendants of those who went through Siberia, to remember. To remember and talk about what which may but does not have to be our life experience.”
Jolanta Hryniewicka, President of the Białystok branch of the Association of Sybiraks, emphasized in her address that the memories of the Sybiraks are lessons in perseverance, courage, and hope, and that remembering them is not only about recalling tragic history: “It is a warning, so that nations never again have to endure such suffering. September 17 is a day on which we realize how precious freedom and sovereignty truly are,” she stressed.
The ceremony concluded with the laying of flowers at the monument of the Sybirak Mother. This evening, from 9:00 p.m., a special mapping projection commemorating the events of September 17, 1939, will be displayed on the façade of the Museum (on the Poleska Street side).
