Vice President Beslan Bigvava, Prime Minister Vladimir Delba, Russian Ambassador to Abkhazia Vyacheslav Gladkov, members of the Government, members of Parliament, volunteers, war veterans, families of the victims, and members of the public laid flowers at the memorial.

Then a solemn meeting was held at the R. Dasania Palace of Culture. Vice President Beslan Bigvava read out the address of the President of Abkhazia, Badra Gunba, to the veterans of the volunteer movement.

The appeal says:

"Our dear brothers!

Dear volunteers!

Today we celebrate a special day for Abkhazia — Military Volunteer Day. This is the day when we remember with special gratitude those who came to the aid of the Abkhazian people during the most difficult period of our history.
When the war came to our land on August 14, 1992, the very next day, on August 15, the first volunteers arrived in Abkhazia. They crossed the Caucasus Range to stand next to us and defend our Homeland together.

It was a time when we felt especially acutely that we were not alone. Hundreds of people from the North Caucasus and other regions of Russia, as well as representatives of the Abkhaz diaspora abroad, traveled with us on a long journey from the first volunteer detachments.

You came to Abkhazia at the call of your heart. You were brought here by historical memory, a sense of justice and brotherhood that is not measured by distances and borders.

From the first days of the war until the Victory, you were with our soldiers. You shared everything with us —the hard days, the anxiety, the pain of loss, and finally, the joy of Victory.

Hundreds of volunteers gave their lives for the freedom and independence of Abkhazia. We bow our heads before the memory of everyone who died defending our land. Their names are forever inscribed in the history of Abkhazia and in the memory of our people.

Dear brothers,

Decades have passed, but time is not able to erase the memory of those who came to us in the most difficult days. We remember your help, your courage and your loyalty. We remember those who stayed on the Abkhazian land forever.

Today, independent Abkhazia lives a peaceful life. And it is our duty to protect this world, to preserve the memory of the fallen and to pass on to future generations the history of the brotherhood, which was born during the war and stood the test of time.

I wish all the volunteers and their families good health, peace, prosperity and long life.

Eternal memory to the volunteers who gave their lives for Abkhazia!

Eternal glory to the heroes!

Happy Volunteer Day, dear brothers!"

Beslan Bigvava also visited the Sergey Dbar State Museum of the Patriotic War of the People of Abkhazia, where a photo exhibition "The History of the people is the memory of the people" was opened.

The exhibition includes about 300 archival photographs depicting soldiers who died during the Patriotic War of the people of Abkhazia, as well as their parents and family members.

The exhibition, dedicated to Military Volunteer Day, will run until September 17, after which the exposition is planned to be supplemented with new materials.