Russians march through Canadian cities
In commemoration of the victory over Nazism in WWII
The Victory Day celebrations organized by Russian communities across Canada took place in various cities, May 4-6, 2019.
On May 4, 2019, a motor rally and the first Immortal Regiment procession were held in Toronto, ON. On May 5, motor rallies and processions reached Ottawa, ON, and Vancouver, BC. According to the Russian Embassy, participants of the motor rally in Ottawa laid flowers on the war heroes’ memorial in the embassy. A festive lunch with a cultural program for Russian veterans and children of the Great Patriotic War (WWII) followed the victory commemoration in the city. And, finally, on May 6, the second Immortal Regiment procession marched through Toronto. As reported by Izvestiya, 5,000 people participated in this march. The celebration was concluded by a free-of-charge evening concert of M.Turetsky Choir at Mel Lastman Square. The Russian music band visited Canada in the framework of their world tour “Victory Songs.”
“No heart left untouched,” tweeted the Russian Consulate General in Toronto.
The first Immortal Regiment procession went through Tomsk, Russia, on May 9, 2012. Later, it grew into a national civil movement with its main idea being, as stated on its website, to preserve memories of the war generation. Participants of the annual Victory Day marches often carry pictures of their relatives who fought in the Great Patriotic War.
In 2015, the Immortal Regiment movement was included in a federal program created to prepare the 70thvictory anniversary. The same year, these rallies were conducted not only in Russia but also in 15 other countries, including Canada.