April 16, 2012: April 14, 2012 the international auto rally "Paths of Victory" (aka "On Victory Roads") dedicated to 67th anniversary of the Victory Day in Great Patriotic War. At the entrance of the Taganrog's Gorky Park the participants of the rally were greeted by representatives of war veterans and youth organizations, cossacks, Taganrog local government and city council.
The people who gathered at the park spread out and carried along the main alley the largest copy of the Victory Banner ever made, sizing 2150 sq.ft. that the participants of the rally are bringing to Moscow. Mayor Vladimir Prasolov and coordinators of the international auto rally Oleg Slyusarenko and Anatoly Tsurkin spoke at the meeting, which was held in front of the "Eternal Flame" memorial. The gathering observed a minute's silence, which was followed by a three-volley salute by guards of honor, and laid flowers and wreaths to the memorial in honor of all Taganrogers who gave their lives for freedom and independence of the Motherland.
At the closing of the ceremony, Mayor of Taganrog Vladimir Prasolov left an entry in the book of honorary participants of the international project: "Dear friends! There is no single generation that escaped this war. We paid a high price for the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Our remembrance of the participants of those glorious days is guarantee of our successful future. Your auto rally is a major contribution into educating young people the heroic pages of our past. Thank you! Wishing you success in your noble cause!"
The international auto rally started on April 3, 2012 in the city of Sevastopol, Crimea, Ukraine. It was organized and sponsored by the All-Crimean movement "Russian Unity" (Russkoe Edinstvo), State Duma of the Russian Federation, Rossotrudnichestvo (The Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation), Russian National Non-governmental Veterans Organization "Battle Brotherhood", "Young Guard of United Russia" and "Young Belarus".
