The story of those standing in the way of the cruellest oppressive regime must be known (official)

Our common duty is to restore the historical truth, and the story of those who stood in front of the cruellest system of oppression to be made known, Iasi Deputy Prefect Marian Erbescu told the opening said on Wednesday of the General Assembly of the Association of Former Political Prisoners of Romania (AFDPR), an event taking place between September 2-4 in the city of Iasi.

"Our common duty is to restore the historical truth. It is essential that the story of those who stood in front of the cruellest system of oppression be made known, not to cultivate hatred, but to form strong civic consciences. By knowing the whole truth, our young people will learn to value freedom, democracy, justice and human dignity. That is the only antidote to the repetition of the horrors of the past," said Erbescu.

The General Assembly of the Association of Former Political Prisoners in Romania (AFDPR) is attended by former anti-communist political prisoners, deportees and their successors, who proposed that, during the three days, they would share experiences, remember those who suffered in communist prisons and camps and discuss ways for the historical truth to reach the younger generations.

Organisers say that the purpose of these meetings is to strengthen the community of former politically persecuted people and to reaffirm the values of freedom, dignity and justice.

"Our meetings are, above all, an act of memory and continuity. They give voice to the sufferings of the past, but also to the hope that today's society knows and respects history. You are the keepers of a national consciousness that must not be forgotten. Each of you carries in your soul a story that deserves and must be listened to. A story about courage and dignity in the face of injustice, about resistance. You lived in times when freedom was a dream, and truth was a form of rebellion. And yet you kept alive the flame of Romanian dignity. AFDPR is not just an association, it is a bridge between the past and the future," said Cristian Husac, chairman of AFDPR Iasi.