On Thursday Russia marked the seventh anniversary of the Beslan school siege. The three-day Memory Watch is held to honour the memory of the children and adults who died in the terrorist act at School Number One.

      The three-day siege, which ended when special forces stormed the building, claimed the lives of 334 people, more than half of them children. On the whole, terrorists held more than 1,200 hostages in school.

      Many people have come to light candles and lay flowers at the side of the destroyed school, which wall was kept on purpose as a reminder of that tragedy. The memorial ceremony began at exactly 9:15am - time that marks the moment when seven years ago the school bell ringing was stopped by the terrorists’ first submachine gun fire burst.

      Many people from the republic's parliament, ministries, public and youth organisations and educational institutions, as well as citizens of Ossetian and Russian cities, arrived there to pay tribute to the memory of the hostages.

      Traditionally, the memorial ceremony is held without any words. People only lay flowers and light candles. It is a wish of Beslan Mothers, who asked for it on the first anniversary.

      September 3, when the nation marks the end of tragedy, will see 334 balloons released – one for every victim of the siege – in Beslan’s City of Angels memorial cemetery, where the remains of the tragedy’s victims are buried.

      September 3 in Russia is also marked as the "Day of Solidarity in the Fight against Terrorism". That day Russians are remembering all the victims of terrorists in the country. Throughout the country, relatives, friends of the victims and ordinary citizens who remember the tragic events come to the sites of the terror acts with flowers and candles to demonstrate their solidarity with those who suffered and commemorate those who died. Churches hold special services, and many schools observe a minute of silence.

      Russia has seen about 90 terror attacks in the last twenty years and have lost the lives of hundreds of people. 

Sources: ITAR-TASS RIA Novosti Calend.ru The Moscow Times Rossiyskaya Gazeta

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