ADDIS ABABA– A photo exhibition that depicts Russia’s victory over Nazi forces in the Second World War (WWII) opened on Wednesday at the Russian House in Addis Ababa.
The photo exhibition is being held in the partnership of the Rossiya Segodnya media group and Sputnik news agency and radio broadcaster together with the Mission of Rossotrudnichestvo in Ethiopia.
Opening the exhibition, Russia’s Ambassador to Ethiopia YevgenyTerekhin said, “This year the celebrations in the capital of brotherly Ethiopia take on a special meaning – a few days ago we already celebrated the Day of Victory of Ethiopian patriots in the war against fascist Italy.”
Ambassador Terekhin added, “This day almost coincided chronologically with the celebration of the Easter holiday this year. Following it, we celebrate the Day of the Great Victory of the Soviet people. This coincidence demonstrates the triune essence of the holiday – the victory of our peoples in the fight against a common enemy, and this victory was illuminated by our common religion and common faith.”
Speaking at the event, Rossotrudnichestvo’s representative office Head Alexander Evstigneev said, “We want to show our Ethiopian friends photographic evidence of the most important part of the history of not only Russia, of all mankind – the victory over fascism. And the price the Soviet people had to pay for this victory.”
“Ethiopia is no stranger to these events – there is an opinion among a number of historians that World War II began not on September 1, 1939, but earlier, with the attack of Fascist Italy on Ethiopia on October 3, 1935. The historical debate on this topic continues. It is important for us to remember and remind that the very existence of our countries was fought with arms against absolute evil. And it is important not to let it revive,”Evstigneevemphasized.
Among the presented works in the exhibition which portray events about WWII, what Russians called the Great Patriotic War,are the legendary photo by IzrailOzersky“Soldier’s Trade,” works by Max Alpert “Battalion Commander” and”Victory Parade in Red Square in Moscow,” one of the most famous works by Vladimir Grebnev.
The exhibition also includes the famous “The Banner of Victory over the Reichstag building”photowhich was taken in May 1945 and works by YakovRyumkin, GeorgyZelm, NaumGranovsky and VsevolodTarasevich, it was learned.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 10 MAY 2024
