Russian Consulate in Cape Town

🎭🎬 Young performers from Moscow took part in a festival in Cape Town Students of Moscow School No. 1306 participated in the Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa and presented their interpretation of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest on the stage of the Homecoming Centre Star Theatre in Cape Town. Cultural exchanges like this, especially involving youth, play a vital role in fostering mutual understanding between nations, building an atmosphere of trust and respect, and expanding the horizons of international humanitarian cooperation. 🇷🇺🇿🇦 The festival has been held annually for 15 years across Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and George. This year, it brought together 38 South African schools — and for the first time, welcomed a group from Russia. ✨The performance by the young Moscow artists received a warm response from the audience and became a vivid example of cultural dialogue between our countries. Representatives of the Russian Consulate General in Cape Town had the opportunity to speak with the participants, who shared their impressions of South Africa, reflected on their rich cultural programme, and spoke about future creative plans. 🫶🏻We look forward to welcoming the students back next year!

🎭🎬 Юные артисты из Москвы выступили на фестивале в Кейптауне Ученики московской школы №1306 приняли участие в южноафриканском фестивале Shakespeare Schools Festival South Africa, представив на сцене кейптаунского Homecoming Centre Star Theatre свою интерпретацию пьесы Уильяма Шекспира «Буря». Такие культурные обмены, особенно с участием молодёжи, играют важную роль в укреплении взаимопонимания между странами, формируют атмосферу доверия и уважения, расширяя горизонты международного гуманитарного сотрудничества. 🇷🇺🇿🇦Фестиваль проводится ежегодно уже 15 лет в Кейптауне, Дурбане, Йоханнесбурге и Джордже. В этом году в нём задействованы 38 южноафриканских школ. Впервые за всё время проведения проекта к нему присоединился коллектив из России. ✨Постановка юных артистов из Москвы вызвала тёплый отклик у зрителей и стала ярким примером культурного диалога между нашими странами. Сотрудники Генерального консульства России в Кейптауне пообщались с ребятами, которые поделились впечатлениями о ЮАР, рассказали о насыщенной культурной программе визита и творческих планах на будущее. 🫶🏻С нетерпением ждём новой встречи в следующем году!

🎬 Впервые в истории в Геберхе (Порт-Элизабет), в Восточном Кейпе, состоялся уникальный кинопоказ под открытым небом – на экране была представлена легендарная картина классики советского кинематографа «Летят журавли». Этот показ стал значимым событием для российской диаспоры и друзей России, объединив росграждан в преддверии 80-й годовщины Великой Победы. Организатором мероприятия выступила инициативная группа соотечественников во главе с активисткой Екатериной Гришиной. «Летят журавли» — фильм режиссёра Михаила Калатозова, вышедший в 1957 году, получил мировое признание и был удостоен главной награды Каннского кинофестиваля — «Золотой пальмовой ветви». Картина рассказывает о трагической судьбе семьи, разлучённой войной, о любви, вере и героизме в самые трудные времена. Глубина переживаний героев, высокий художественный уровень фильма трогают сердца зрителей по сей день, являясь напоминанием о цене мира и о подлинной ценности человеческих чувств. Такие мероприятия особо важны для сохранения исторической памяти и культурной преемственности в дальних уголках мира. Празднуя 80-летие Великой Победы вместе, даже вдали от Родины, мы сберегаем уважение к подвигу поколений, способствуем духовному единству и помогаем молодым соотечественникам помнить о героическом прошлом нашего народа.

🕊️🎖️Victory Day in Cape Town #Victory80#WeRemember

🎆 The celebrations of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory over Nazism concluded with a dazzling display of fireworks across the country. The sky over Moscow was lit with vibrant colours and figures, bringing the celebrations to a spectacular close. Thousands of people — Muscovites and the Russian capital's guests alike — gathered in large crowds, smiling and applauding to the breathtaking pyrotechnic show. #Victory80

🎖️Commemorative Event Marking the 80th Anniversary of Victory in World War II Held at the Castle of Good Hope On 9 May 2025, a solemn commemorative event marking the 80th anniversary of Victory in World War II was held at the historic Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. The ceremony was attended by representatives of South African political forces, ANC veterans, the command of the South African National Defence Force, Russian compatriots and members of the general public. 🕯️The event opened with welcoming remarks by Mr. Calvin Gilfellan, Director of the Castle of Good Hope, featured interfaith prayers, performances of the national anthems of the Russian Federation and the Republic of South Africa, and a ceremonial march by an honour guard of the SANDF. A moment of silence was observed in memory of those who perished during the war. In his address, the Consul General of Russia in Cape Town, Mr. Aleksei Malenko highlighted South Africa’s contribution to the Allied Victory over Nazism, noting the participation of South African servicemen in the ranks of the anti-Hitler coalition. He also shared a personal family story related to the tragic events of the Great Patriotic War, emphasizing that the memory of the heroism and sacrifices of that generation is carefully preserved in every Russian family. Keynote speeches were also delivered by Mr. Marius Fransman, former Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, and Chief Zenzile Khoisan, leader of the Khoisan people. Both speakers underscored the historical parallels between the fates of the peoples of South Africa and Russia and emphasized the importance of international solidarity in the face of injustice and aggression. 📽️As part of the cultural programme, premiere of the documentary film “Legacy of Hope. Freedom Through Solidarity: The Russia–Cuba–South Africa Chapter” was held. Directed by Marius Fransman, the film resonated strongly with the audience. ❗️The screening was followed by a lively discussion focused on the modern relevance of the lessons of World War II and the imperative to preserve historical truth. 🤝The commemorative event at the Castle of Good Hope served as a meaningful contribution to the preservation of the memory of the peoples’ heroism in defending freedom and justice, and reaffirmed the enduring relevance of historical dialogue and international humanitarian cooperation. #Victory80#RussiaSouthAfrica

💐 President of Russia Vladimir Putin, joined by the Heads of foreign states and leaders of international organisations who had come to Moscow to attend the celebrations marking the 80th Anniversary of Victory,laid flowers in a solemn ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Alexander Garden. 🌟#Victory80

🏅Remarks by President of Russia, Supreme Commander-in-Chief, Vladimir Putin at a military parade marking the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War (May 9, 2025) 💬President Putin: Citizens of Russia, veterans, guests, comrade soldiers and sailors, sergeants and sergeant majors, midshipmen and warrant officers, comrade officers, generals and admirals! I congratulate you on the 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War! Today, we are all united by the feelings of joy and grief, pride and gratitude, and admiration for the generation that crushed Nazism and won freedom and peace for all humanity at the cost of millions of lives. We faithfully preserve the memory of those historic, glorious events. As the heirs of the victors, today we celebrate Victory Day as the most important holiday for the country, which the entire nation, each family, each of us holds dear. <...> We remember the lessons of WWII and will never agree with the distortion of those events or attempts to justify the murderers and slander the true victors. Our duty is to defend the honour of the Red Army soldiers and commanders, and the heroism of fighters of different ethnic backgrounds who will forever remain Russian soldiers in world history. ❗️ Russia has been and will continue to be an indestructible obstacle to Nazism, Russophobia and anti-Semitism, and will stand in the way of the violence perpetrated by the champions of these aggressive and destructive ideas. Truth and justice are on our side. The whole of Russia, our society and all people support the participants in the special military operation. We are proud of their courage and spirit, and their steely determination that has always brought us Victory. The Soviet Union bore the brunt of the enemy’s most savage and relentless assaults. Millions of people, once devoted solely to peaceful labour, took up arms and stood firm to the death on every hill, bridgehead, and defensive line. The outcome of WWII was determined by decisive victories in major battles of Moscow and Stalingrad, on the Kursk Bulge and the Dnieper River, by the courage of the defenders of Belarus, who were the first to face the invader, by staunch resistance at the Brest Fortress and in Mogilev, Odessa, Sevastopol, Murmansk, Tula and Smolensk, by the heroism of the residents of besieged Leningrad. <...> The contribution of the peoples of Central Asia and the South Caucasus was immense. From these regions came a steady flow of trains delivering everything the front needed. Hospitals were established, and hundreds of thousands of evacuees found a second home there. <...> We honour every veteran of the Great Patriotic War and bow our heads in remembrance of all who gave their lives for Victory. <...> We bow our heads before our fallen comrades-in-arms who laid down their lives as heroes in a righteous battle for Russia. Nearly 80% of the world’s population were drawn into the fiery orbit of WWII. The complete defeat of Nazi Germany, militarist Japan and their satellites around the world was achieved through the combined efforts of the Allied Nations. ☝️ We will never forget that the opening of the Second Front in Europe, which took place after the decisive battles in the territory of the Soviet Union, hastened Victory. We highly appreciate the contribution made to our common struggle by the Allied armies, members of the Resistance, the courageous people of China, and all those who fought for a peaceful future. We will continue to look up to our veterans, taking example from their wholehearted love of the Motherland and commitment to defending our homeland and the values of humanism and justice. We will give these traditions and this great heritage the biggest place in our hearts and will pass them on to future generations. We will always rely on our unity in battle and in peaceful endeavours, in striving for strategic goals and tackling problems for the benefit of Russia and its greatness and prosperity. Glory to the victorious nation! Happy Victory Day! Hurrah! #Victory80

🔴#LIVE from the #RedSquare: Parade marking the 80th Anniversary of the Victory over Nazism 🔴X (ex-Twitter) 🔴Ruptly #Victory80#Parade

#Victory80 🌟 80 years ago, on May 9, 1945, at 0:43 am Moscow time, the Instrument of UnconditionalSurrender of the Nazi Germanywas signed. This historic document marked the Soviet Union’s Victory in the Great Patriotic War, brought an end to #WWII in Europe, signalled the final collapse of Nazism. *** Earlier, on May 2, 1945, following the fall of the Reichstag — the main Nazi stronghold — and the surrender of the Berlin garrison, the Red Army completed its successful operation to capture Berlin. The Soviet forces crushed Nazi resistance, taking full control of the Nazi government headquarters, including Hitler's Reichskanzlei (Reich Chancellery) and bunker. Germany’s final & unconditional surrender to the Allies was preceded by several local capitulations of the Nazi troops along various fronts. Moreover, in April 1945, certain Nazi military leaders, who were aware that the Third Reich’s collapse was imminent, fearing justice for their crimes, sought secret talks with Anglo-American forces, trying to divide the Allied anti-Hitler coalition. On April 29, just before the surrender of the Berlin garrison, the Nazi troops surrendered in Italy. Days later, on May 4, the Wehrmacht capitulated in the Netherlands, Denmark, Schleswig-Holstein, and Northwest Germany. On May 5, German troops also laid down their arms in Western Austria. 👉 Desperate to surrender to the British-American forces, on May 5, the Nazi delegation arrived in the French city of Reims, where the headquarters of the Allies' command was located. There, on May 7, the Act of Military Surrender was signed. Article 4 of the document did not rule out the signing of another, definitive act: “This act of military surrender… will be superseded by any general instrument of surrender… applicable to Germany and the German armed forces as a whole.” Due to that, the Soviet leadership deemed the Reims document only as a preliminary instrument, believing that the official surrender of the Nazis had to be ensured in Berlin, the city where the Nazi aggression originated from. At the Soviet government’s request, a second and final ceremony of surrender took place. ✍️ In the early hours of May 9, 1945, at 0:43 Moscow time (22:43 CET), the final and definitive Instrument of UnconditionalSurrender of the Nazi Germany was signedat the ceremony in #Karlshorst, Berlin. The surrender was accepted by Marshal Georgy Zhukov on behalf of the Soviet Union and Deputy Commander of the Allied forces Marshal Arthur Tedder on behalf of the Western Allies. From the German side, the Instrument was signed by Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel, Colonel General Hans-Jurgen Stumpff, & Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg. With the Instrument being signed, the Nazi government was officially dissolved, the defeated German military laid down arms. 🖋 From the memoirs by military correspondent Konstantin Simonov: 💬 “Zhukov stands up and says: “The German delegation may leave the hall.” The Germans stand up. Keitel… turns on his heel and leaves. And instantaneously, all tension in the room relaxes, and everybody exhales in unison. The act of surrender has been signed, and the war is over.” On May 9, 1945, at 2:10 am Moscow time, announcer Yury Levitan read out the Instrument of Unconditional Surrender of Nazi Germany & the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR declaring May 9 Victory Day. From that moment forward, the Soviet Union and later Russia, as well as the most former Soviet republics have celebrated Victory Day on May 9. 🎙 An excerpt from a briefing of Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, May 6, 2025: 💬 "The peoples of the Soviet Union not only defeated the Wehrmacht, but also brought life, liberation and salvation to the peoples of Eastern and Central Europe. The Red Army, the Soviet soldiers literally stopped the Nazi extermination machine in its tracks and put out the crematoria of the Holocaust. Those who deny this are clearly supporting the resurgence of Nazism and the rise of neo-Nazism". 📖Learn for more in our in-depth historical delve.

🏅 Happy #VictoryDay! Today marks the 80th Anniversary of the Great Victory over Nazism. #WeRemember#LestWeForget #Victory80

✍️Article by Ambassador of Russia to South Africa Roman Ambarov “Soviet Union & South Africa: Allies in World War II” (8 May 2025) 🔗READ IN FULL ➡️ Key points: ▪️ May 9, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945, the most important and dramatic part of World War II. ▪️ We are celebrating the decisive contribution of the Soviet Union to the victory over Hitler’s Germany and the liberation of Europe from Nazism. Nearly 90% of all Nazi combat loses occurred on the Eastern Front, and it was the Red Army that single-handedly captured Berlin in April–May 1945. ▪️ During the war, South Africa was our ally and an important member of the Anti-Hitler Coalition. Around 3,000 South African seamen served in the Royal navy, many of them – on board Allied vessels carrying valuable supplies to our northern ports of Russia. ▪️ South African public organizations, such as the Friends of the Soviet Union and the Medical Aid for Russia, raised around GBP 1 million in donations between 1942 and 1945. ▪️ Dmitri Shostakovich’s Seventh “Leningrad” Symphony, a work that became a musical manifesto of resistance to Nazism, was premiered on 9 July 1944 in Johannesburg and, two month later, in Cape Town. The proceeds from the ticket sales were donated to the Soviet Union’s war effort. ▪️ The ultimate defeat of Nazism in 1945 laid the foundations of the world as we know it. Africa’s decolonisation and the collapse of apartheid would not be possible without that victory. #Victory80#Ambarov