Thousands of South Ossetian residents gathered on Sunday at the Pris Heights at the entrance to Tskhinval to mark the 36th anniversary of the start of the national liberation struggle and the Day of Courage and National Unity.
The rally was attended by President of the Republic, Alan Gagloev, Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Marat Kulakhmetov, the leadership of Parliament and the government, veterans of the struggle for independence, and public figures.
Addressing those gathered, Alan Gagloev stated: "It was on November 23, 1989, that our people stood as a single human chain and blocked the enemy's path. This was the first step towards freedom. People can only be broken by depriving them of their history and distorting it. We will never allow this."
The President particularly emphasized Russia's role. "Russia has been and remains by our side at every stage of the struggle. Today, the Ossetian fighters, shoulder to shoulder with their Russian brothers, are once again defending our shared history and future, fighting the common enemy," he said.
The head of state called for unity in these difficult times and for the truth about those events to be passed on to young people.
Leonid Tibilov, Chairman of the South Ossetian branch of the Supreme Council of Ossetians, emphasized in his speech: "We have passed the hardest path, but we have persevered. The most important thing is that our children and grandchildren know and are proud of this history."
The rally concluded with a moment of silence in memory of the fallen defenders of the Fatherland.
