H.E. Ambassador Marina Kaljurandalong with the Embassy staff attended today the remembrance ceremony of thevictims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes at the Victims ofCommunism Memorial in Washington, DC.
August 23rd marks theanniversary of the 1939 signing of Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact which divided Europebetween Germany and the Soviet Union. This date has been designated by theEuropean Parliament as a Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims ofall totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, to becommemorated with dignity and impartiality. August 23rd is also known asBlack Ribbon Day due to protests held in Western countries in 1986 which laterspread to the Baltics, culminating in the Baltic Way demonstration with 2million participants in 1989.
“This event in the history ofEurope gave way to tragedies that left no one untouched,” said AmbassadorKaljurand. “By remembering the past and honoring its victims we show respectfor freedom, democracy and human rights.”
The memorial event was held byThe Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, with support from the Embassiesof Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and The Joint Baltic American NationalCommittee.