Israel invited to join memorial project in Bronnaya Gora forest in Belarus

Brest Oblast Governor Yuri Shuleiko invited the Jewish community to join the project to create a memorial complex at the site of mass executions during the Great Patriotic War in the Bronnaya Gora forest in Bereza District as he met with chargé d'affaires of Israel Tzevy Mirkin, BelTA has learned.

"Several architectural projects of the future memorial are ready. We want it to be a worthy monument. More than 50,000 people were buried there. Jews, Belarusians, Russians...All were civilians. The project is approximate estimated at about Br12 million. We will be happy if you decide to provide financial support for this project," the governor said

Tzevy Mirkin praised the actions of the regional authorities to preserve the memory of the victims of the Holocaust. "We visited the Bronnaya Gora forest, talked to the local authorities. I have some idea what the project will be like. We welcome such an idea. Because any action aimed at preserving the memory of the victims of the Holocaust is extremely important for us," the diplomat said.

This is the diplomat's first official visit to the region since he began his tenure in Belarus. According to Tzevy Mirkin, the trip had personal significance for the diplomat as his family partially came from the area: the diplomat's grandfather was born in Brest. “Yesterday we went to Domachevo to visit a local school that has taken patronage of the Jewish cemetery near the village and the monument to the victims of the Holocaust. It was important for us to express our gratitude to the school for its efforts,” the charge d'affaires said.

During the meeting at the Brest Oblast Executive Committee the parties also focused on the possibilities of expanding trade and economic cooperation at the interregional level. Yuri Shuleiko updated the guest on the potential of Brest Oblast, the main sectors of its agro-industrial complex. It was noted that in January-September 2022 Brest Oblast and Israel reached $9.5 million in trade, up 17.5%, posting trade surplus for exporters and the export growth rate at almost 30%. This year Brest tripled the supply of rapeseed oil to Israel, increased the supply of children's toys by more than 25%, and pasta products by 25%. Brest imported plant protection products, polyesters, juices, and food products.

Tzevy Mirkin plans to visit several industrial enterprises in Brest on 10 November. After the meeting in the Brest Oblast Executive Committee the diplomat went to see the Brest Hero Fortress Memorial.