On 11 November at 11:11 at the Ixelles Memorial in Brussels, a flower-laying ceremony was held at the graves of Russian and Belgian soldiers and officers who took part in the First World War. The event was organised with the support of the Russian House in Brussels and the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Belgium.

Among the participants of the event were the Russian Ambassador to Belgium A.A. Tokovinin, Rector of the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music A.S. Ryzhinsky, Director of the Russian House V.G. Bunina, as well as descendants of Russian emigrants of the ‘first wave’, representatives of the Belgian public, and compatriots.

The ceremony began with a violin melody – the song ‘Where the Motherland Begins’ was performed by Sultan Rakhmatullin. This symbolic introduction set the musical tone for the solemn laying of flowers and wreaths. And it ended with a requiem litia performed by Archpriest Fr. Pavel (Nedosekin) and the men’s group of the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music ensemble ‘Altro Coro’ headed by the Rector of the Academy.

Special attention should be paid to the Altro Coro choral ensemble of the Russian Academy of Music ‘Altro Coro’, which recently performed two concerts in Belgium: in Brussels and Antwerp. Their performance at the ceremony was an important musical contribution to the preservation of the memory of 543 Russian soldiers and officers who died on Belgian soil during the First World War.

In his speech, the Russian Ambassador emphasised the importance of preserving the historical memory of Russia’s role in ensuring the freedom and independence of Belgium during the First and Second World Wars. This act of remembrance has become a symbol of fraternal friendship and solidarity between the two nations.
We invite you to take part in other World War I commemoration events organised by the Russian House in Brussels.