The photo exhibition Liberation: Peace to the Nations opened at the Atterbury Theater in Pretoria, marking the 81st anniversary of the victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II.
The exhibition draws on the unique photo archives of the Soviet Information Bureau, whose copyrights are now held by the Rossiya Segodnya media group. The photographs, taken between March and September 1945, capture footage of the Manchurian and Khingan-Mukden offensives, the heroism of Soviet soldiers, the meeting of the Red Army with civilians in liberated territories, and historical scenes of the Japanese command’s surrender. The project aims to create a shared historical and cultural space between Russia and Asian countries, while preserving historical truth and countering its falsification.
Opening the exhibition, Russian Ambassador to South Africa Roman Ambarov noted:
said Vasily Pushkov, Rossiya Segodnya Director of International Cooperation.
The Liberation: Peace to the Nations exhibition is part of a series of events organized by the embassies of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China in South Africa to celebrate the anniversary of Victory Day. The exhibition has previously been shown in China, South Korea, Mongolia and Pakistan.
The Liberation: Peace to the Nations project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives as part of the 80th anniversary commemorations of the victory over militarist Japan and the end of World War II. It is an extension of the projects Liberation and Liberation: The Path to Victory, which have attracted millions of visitors over the past two years. The project includes photo exhibitions in Russia and abroad, as well as awareness-raising and outreach events featuring mobile exhibitions.