At 17:00 a memorial ceremony was held at the Monument to victory in the War of Independence in Tallinn. At 18:00, candles were lit in Tallinn, Tartu, Parnu and Narva. Devoted to the memory of the victims of the event will be held throughout Estonia.

On Sunday, 69 years have passed since the beginning of the March deportation, when more than 22,000 Estonians were forcibly expelled from Estonia within a few days. More than half a century later, reflections continue on how and how to maintain the memory of the victims of crimes against humanity and deportations among young generations.

Candles began to ignite in 2010 on the initiative of the NGO Tulipisar, other human rights organizations, historical and youth associations participate in the organization of memorable events, writes postimees. ee.

At 17:00, accompanied by a bell ringing, a memorial ceremony was held at the Monument to victory in the War of Independence in Tallinn. Since 18:00, the events began at Vabaduse Square in Tallinn, Town Hall Square in Tartu, Ruutli Square in Parnu and Town Hall Square in Narva, where candles were lit to commemorate the victims of deportation. On the Wabaduse Square in Tallinn candles were installed according to the geographical contour of Estonia.

A video projection with the names of 32,000 people will also be shown on Vabaduse Square, which in 1949 it was decided to deport - including those who were arrested, who fled, was forced to hide and was born in families deported to Siberia. The author of video projection - artist Taavi Varm. Six different languages ??will show a brief overview of the events of 1949. Participants are asked to bring cemetery candles and incendiary means.

For the symbolic expression of their position on the anniversary of deportations, a black and white "flower of hope" symbolizes mourning for the victims and the hope that this will never happen again. Signs will be distributed to all comers during the lighting of candles.

On March 25, 1949, the Soviet authorities deported more than 22,000 Estonians to Siberia. Most of the deportees were released only in 1958, the last deportees were released in 1965, several thousand people never returned home. In March 1949, 95,000 people were deported from the Baltic countries. In 2019 will be 70 years since the deportation.

The memorial event is organized with the participation of Tulipisar, the Union of Student Corporations of Estonia, the Union of Student Representatives of Estonia, the Union of Estonian Youth Organizations, the Estonian Memento Union, the Open Republic, the Human Rights Institute and the Estonian Memory Institute, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice.