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Who we are

Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance (RCDA) is a federal non-governmental organization founded on principles of democracy, anti-imperialism, human and civil rights, and aimed at building and supporting the Russian Canadian and Russian expatriate community.

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NEW CITIES ADDED Returning the names, commemorativ

NEW CITIES ADDED
Returning the names, commemorative events in Canada 2024

Commemorative event "Returning the Names" has been held for 17 years since 2007.

It first started in Moscow at the Solovki Rock on Lubyanka Street, gradually expanding to many cities across Russia and around the world. On this day, thousands of people line up and, one after another, read aloud the names of those who were executed by the Soviet regime. Very different people have been part of Returning the Names readings.

Among them are those for whom the Soviet political persecutions are a personal tragedy, those who draw hope and strength from solidarity and grassroots actions, those who see the connection between past and present governmental crimes.

If you want to organize it in your city, contact us! We are preparing the names and translations, we also will be reading letters from modern political prisoners and memoirs about the victims of the Soviet regime.

Join us in Calgary with @russianresistance.yyc
Join us in Ottawa with @russianresistance.ott
Join us in Montreal with @voices_of_resistance_mtl

#ReturningtheNames
#возвращениеимен
#возвращениеимен2024

Message to Canadians from Ekaterina Shulman and Ma

Message to Canadians from Ekaterina Shulman and Maksim Kurnikov

We are honored to share this special message from @ekaterina.schulmann and @mkournikov , expressing their support for RCDA's mission of uniting antiwar Russians. They emphasize the importance of our letter-writing events and this month's "Returning the Names" commemoration.

Thank you, Ekaterina Mikhailovna and Maksim, for your support!

And to our Canadian audience – we hope to see you at our upcoming events. Together, we can make a difference!

#RCDA #Antiwar #ReturningtheNames #supportpoliticalprisoners #StandWithUkraine #canada #ekaterinashulman #MaksimKurnikov #FREEPOLITICALPRISONERS
#свободуполитзаключенным
#writeletterstopoliticalprisoners
#freedomforallpoliticalprisoners
#возвращениеимен

Thank you @voicesofresistance.wpg for sound magic ✨ 🪄 💫

Returning the Names Commemoration Event in Montrea

Returning the Names Commemoration Event in Montreal | October 29

Join us for the annual Returning the Names event, a global act of remembrance that began in Moscow in 2007 and now spans cities worldwide. Each year on October 29, participants take turns reading aloud the names of those executed by the Soviet regime. This poignant tradition remembers the victims of the Great Terror, honors their memory, and draws attention to the connections between past and present injustices.

🕯 Date: October 29
📍 Location: Montreal @memento_mtl
🕜 6 pm

Let’s come together to remember, reflect, and resist the erasure of history.

Film Screening: Letters from Karelia | In Commemoration of Returning the Names

On the same day, we will screen Letters from Karelia (2004), a powerful Canadian documentary that sheds light on the fate of Finnish Canadians who were lured to Soviet Karelia in the 1930s, only to face tragic consequences. The film tells the story of Aate Pitkänen, whose letters—discovered decades after his disappearance—reveal the painful truth about his life in the USSR. His son Alfred retraces Aate’s journey, uncovering a deeply personal and historical tale of loss and broken dreams.

📽 Film: Letters from Karelia (2004)
🎥 Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada @onf_nfb
🕜 7:30 pm

Join us for a moving tribute to those who suffered under the Soviet regime.

#ReturningtheNames
#возвращениеимен2024 #возвращениеимен #письмаизкарелии #letteefromkarelia #montreal #montrealevents

Returning the names, commemoration events in Canad

Returning the names, commemoration events in Canada 2024

Commemorative event "Returning the Names" has been held for 16 years since 2007.

It first started in Moscow at the Solovki Rock on Lubyanka Street, gradually expanding to many cities across Russia and around the world. On this day, thousands of people line up and, one after another, read aloud the names of those who were executed by the Soviet regime. Very different people have been part of Returning the Names readings.

Among them are those for whom the Soviet political persecutions are a personal tragedy, those who draw hope and strength from solidarity and grassroots actions, those who see the connection between past and present governmental crimes.

If you want to organize it in your city, contact us! We are preparing the names and translations, we also will be reading letters from modern political prisoners and memoirs about the victims of the Soviet regime.

Join us in Ottawa with @russianresistance.ott
Join us in Montreal with @voices_of_resistance_mtl

#ReturningtheNames
#возвращениеимен
#возвращениеимен2024

⚡️Fundraising for portable power stations for

⚡️Fundraising for portable power stations for hospitals and schools in Ukraine

Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance and other anti-war democratic diaspora organizations, together with the Anti-War Committee, continue to raise funds for portable power stations for hospitals and schools in Ukraine!

We have already raised more than €2,500, but the goal is €100,000 to purchase 119 stations and additional equipment. At the moment, 16 organizations around the world are already participating!
With the approach of winter, the need for generators will increase significantly. Putin's military forces' attacks on civil and energy infrastructure result in power outages, threaten the lives of patients and interfere with the educational process in schools.

Let's try together to raise the necessary amount as quickly as possible and transfer the equipment to Ukraine.

Details on the Anti-War Committee website (clickable link is in our saved stories). (https://antiwarcommittee.info/energyforua/)

❤️ Thanks to everyone who has already supported! We also ask you to spread information about the fundraiser.

#energy4UA #energyforUkraine

Get 20% OFF with our promo code for the USA lectur

Get 20% OFF with our promo code for the USA lecture tour featuring Ekaterina Shulman and Maksim Kurnikov.

ECHO20

С 4 по 16 октября 2024 политолог Екатерина Шульман и журналист Максим Курников посетят шесть городов Соединенных Штатов Америки с пятью уникальными выступлениями на темы, связанные с историей, политикой и культурой России.

Встречи пройдут в Лос-Анджелесе, Сан-Франциско, Вашингтоне, Нью-Йорке, Чикаго и Бостоне, где гости смогут услышать выступления, задать свои вопросы спикерам, приобрести и подписать их книги.

Language of the lectures - Russian

🌍RCDA at a Fireside Chat of Yulia Navalnaya and

🌍RCDA at a Fireside Chat of Yulia Navalnaya and Mélanie Joly 🌍

On September 17, members of the Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance had the honor of attending a significant meeting between Yulia Navalnaya and Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly. We were proud to join other representatives of the Russian diaspora in Canada to show our support.

We are grateful to Global Affairs Canada for this valuable opportunity and look forward to participating in similar events in the future. 🇨🇦🤝🤍💙🤍

📹 The recording of the meeting can be found in our saved stories, “Past Events-3.”

Версия на русском языке:

🌍 RCDA на встрече Юлии Навальной с Мелани Жоли в Министерстве иностранных дел Канады 🌍

17 сентября несколько членов Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance имели честь принять участие в важной встрече Юлии Навальной с министром иностранных дел Канады Мелани Жоли. Мы гордимся тем, что смогли присоединиться к другим представителям российской диаспоры в Канаде на этой встрече.

Мы благодарим Министерство иностранных дел Канады за эту уникальную возможность и надеемся на участие в подобных событиях в будущем. 🇨🇦🤝🤍💙🤍

📹 Ссылка на запись встречи доступна в сохранённых сторис “Past Events-3.”

Today in Montreal, a powerful performance took pla

Today in Montreal, a powerful performance took place, featuring the story of Yevgeny Zelensky, a man repressed and forgotten during Soviet times. The performance was by Masha Mashkova, a Russian actress known for her outspoken stance against the war.

Following the performance, we asked Masha to say a few words about political prisoners:
"I urge each of you: Please, write a letter to a political prisoner. I started doing this, and it gave me so much strength, hope, and faith in humanity. Don’t do it just for them, though it means so much to them—do it for yourself. Love will prevail."

Thank you Masha @masha_mashkova_official !!!

#свободуполитзаключенным #freepoliticalprisoners #пишитеписьма #пишитеполитзаключённым #writetopoliticalprisoners

EN below⤵️ На Первом Антивоен

EN below⤵️

На Первом Антивоенном фестивале в Монреале RCDA @rcda_adcr и «Весна» @vesna_democrat объединились, чтобы осветить внутреннее антивоенное сопротивление в России. Мы стремимся усилить голоса тех, кто, несмотря на риски, выходит на протест.

At Montreal’s First Anti-War Festival, RCDA @rcda_adcr & Vesna @vesna_democrat joined forces to highlight the internal Russian resistance against the war in Ukraine. Through powerful art by the POMIDOR art group and collaboration with Vesna, we aim to amplify the voices of those who courageously protest despite the risks. We stand in solidarity with them.

#антивоенныйфестиваль #RCDA #весна #солидарность #монреаль #vesna #antiwarfestival #solidarity #montreal #RussiansAgainstWar

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Join the RCDA group

🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ Join the RCDA group in the Capital Pride Parade! / Присоединяйтесь к колонне RCDA в составе Capital Pride Parade! 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

We encourage you to bring flags symbolizing various social groups included in the 2SLGBTQI+ community as well as posters and banners (our focus would be on the struggles of the community in Russia but all posters are welcome). The parade will take place on August 25, its official start is scheduled at 1:00 PM.

We invite everyone who wants to join our column to meet at Ottawa Map in the Confederation Park on the corner of Laurier Ave and Elgin St at 12:30-12:45 PM

/// Версия на русском:

Приносите флаги, символизирующие разные социальные группы внутри ЛГБТК+, а также плакаты (мы хотели бы заострить внимание на происходящем с ЛГБТК+ людьми в РФ, однако любые постеры приветствуются). Парад пройдет 25 августа, его официальное начало назначено на 13:00, а мы предлагаем единомышленникам встретиться в 12:30-12:45 у карты Оттавы в Confederation Park на углу Laurier Ave and Elgin St.

Our position on the situation in the Kursk region

Our position on the situation in the Kursk region

Links from the post that can be opened from the desktop:
🌐 Webpage - https://razmestim.notion.site/85e35dddbf054065935a774956691c5e
🤖 Бот — https://t.me/razmestim_bot
📋 Канал — https://t.me/razmestim_channel
☎️ Поддержка — https://t.me/razmestim_help

Check the video of the readings on our YouTube cha

Check the video of the readings on our YouTube channel!

August 5 - International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Great Terror

We recorded readings of the names to honor the victims of Sandarmokh. As part of this commemoration, RCDA in Montreal read the names and remembered those who perished during this dark chapter in history.

The Great Terror of 1937, led by Stalin, was a brutal campaign against anyone whom he considered a threat. Thousands were executed or sent to Gulag labor camps. The NKVD targeted ethnic minorities, and Sandarmokh is a memorial for victims from 56 ethnicities, with 6,241 known names. Historian and political prisoner Yury Dmitriev dedicated his life to identifying these victims.

On this day, names of the perished are read worldwide. For the second year, RCDA Montreal organized a memorial event, translating and inviting people to read the names of those executed in Sandarmokh. This year, we honored Canadians, Armenians, Italians, French, Jewish, Russians, Ukrainians, Chinese, and Belarusians.

Thank you to everyone who participated and remembers. Eternal memory to the innocent victims.

https://youtu.be/daUJQJ0rK3k?si=mW16s4DEly7WqyOw

Video credits @voicesofresistance.wpg 🤍

#readingthenames #RCDA #ReturningtheNames #sandarmokh #возвращениеимен #сандармох #юрийдмитриев

All proceeds from charity sales of merchandise and

All proceeds from charity sales of merchandise and your generous donations will go to Memorial Political Prisoners @memorial.prisoners , an independent human rights project with whom we collaborate. Memorial helps victims of unlawful, politically motivated criminal prosecution in Russia.

Step 1: donate on our site https://rcda.ca/rcda-memorial/
Step 2: DM us & confirm what items would you like to get
Step 3: provide the delivery address
Step 4: free delivery on us

Recommended donations:
Tote bag 20$
Postcard 5$
Magnet 5$

Attention: Russian Canadian Democratic Alliance (RCDA) has been recognized as an “undesirable organization” in Russia. According to Article 284.1 of the Criminal Code, engaging in activities of an “undesirable organization” (including providing or collecting funds or providing financial services knowingly intended to support “undesirable” activities) entails criminal liability.

Performance about the Importance of Writing Letter

Performance about the Importance of Writing Letters to Political Prisoners
Montreal, July 31, 2024

Your letters are a light and source of strength 💔

Thank you so much to everyone who helped us make this a reality! Due to security reasons, we will not tag everyone involved, but we are deeply grateful to each and every one of you!

"I want to tell everyone. Write to political prisoners. It is really important. You have no idea how much warmth this little piece of paper gives!"
— Vladimir Kara-Murza @vkaramurza

"Without support, none of us could have survived."
— Andrei Pivovarov @brewerov

"We always knew the truth was on our side, and that knowledge gave us tremendous motivation. The support from around the world through letters and postcards was a major source of strength for me. It kept me going every single day."
— Ilya Yashin @ilya_yashin

#freepoliticalprisoners
#свободуполитзаключенным
#freedomforallpoliticalprisoners
#writeletterstopoliticalprisoners

💌Let's do it together! Let's write 100 letters

💌Let's do it together! Let's write 100 letters to 100 political prisoners!
Join us starting from July 31 till August 4 at @centre_dartistes_agregat
Wed July 31: 5-9 pm
Thu Aug 1: 12-6 pm
Fri Aug 2: 12-7 pm
Sat Aug 3: 11-5 pm
Sun Aug 4: 11-5 pm

We can do it together!

Swipe to check the whole program🤍💙🤍

#freedomforallpoliticalprisoners
#FREEPOLITICALPRISONERS
#свободуполитзаключенным
#lettersforpoliticalprisoners
#letterstopoliticalprisoners
#writeletterstopoliticalprisoners
#rcda

The full program is ready! RCDA Antiwar Resistance

The full program is ready!
RCDA Antiwar Resistance Festival in Montreal! July 31- August 4
The main event and foundation for this festival is the exhibition of the POMIDOR Art Group project "SPEECH(LESS)

Main location @centre_dartistes_agregat gallery space!
Film screening and reading the names at @theatre.sainte_catherine

Art exhibit and installations, film screening, letter-writing event, guest speakers, workshops and fundraising for @memorial.prisoners !

Check the schedule!
Come , show your support, join our events and activities!
Registration for the art workshops is required. Limited number of places.

All the information will be shortly posted on @rcda_adcr
website in the events section!

We really hope to see you! Please help us spread this information!
Share, repost 🤍💙🤍

Thank you!!!

#rcda #montreal #Antiwar #politicalprisoners #freedomforpoliticalprisoners #ReturningtheNames #speechless #pomidor #artexhibition #artevent #arteventmontreal

Art workshops registration is open! We are very h

Art workshops registration is open!
We are very happy to announce this collab with @nastia_rybnikovaa!

Stencil and template drawing workshop for adults (15+)
Aug 2, 5 pm

Drawing with pencil and pastels - Kids' workshop 6-14 y o
Aug 4, 12-1 pm

Free workshops. Registration is required!

Hope to see you there!!!

Please join our workshops! This is a new activity for us! Please support us🤍💙🤍

#artworkshop
#montreal
#montrealworkshop #rcda

This letter-writing event is part of the series or

This letter-writing event is part of the series organized by @rcda_adcr in Montreal in support of political prisoners.

We invite you to our next letter-writing event in Montreal:
August 3, 1-5 PM at @centre_dartistes_agregat 💌

Writing to someone means they are remembered. In the face of adversity, a simple letter can become a lifeline for those detained in Russian prisons—human rights activists, journalists, politicians, scientists, doctors, teachers, cooks, students, artists, and essentially anyone. Support them by writing a letter or drawing a postcard to remind them that they are not alone.

Currently, in Russia, there are over 19,855 people detained following anti-war protests, 935 criminal cases against anti-war dissidents, and many more confined and persecuted for anti-war activism.

We have created cards with information about political prisoners and their cases. We have a list of Ukrainian prisoners to whom you can write during our events!
You can also write to prisoners of anti-war, Baymak cases, and prisoners who were sentenced for working with Alexei Navalny. Thanks to the initiative of @ovdinfo_en @memorial.prisoners we now have cards about political prisoners under 20 years old!

They all need our support. Your words make a difference and a big impact on somebody's life!

Note: Please bring your laptop or electronic device, since we will be writing electronic letters. Alternatively, you can draw a postcard with the materials provided.

Thank you for your support!

#FREEPOLITICALPRISONERS #свободуполитзаключенным

Letter writing to young political prisoners (under

Letter writing to young political prisoners (under 20 years old) / День писем политзаключённым моложе 20 лет

Версия на русском ниже.

The Russian regime imprisons more and more innocent people every day. A lot of them are very young, some should still be in highschool or university, not colony. They spend crucial for their development years being locked up in harsh conditions, often subjected to physical and psychological tortures.

These young people need your support. You can write to them in English via the OVD-info service: en.ovdinfo.org/write-letters. Join our letter-writing event this Sunday. Bring your laptops or tablets - paper mail can't be sent to Russia from Canada. You can also bring a piece of paper and write a paper letter that we then will scan and send. Bring your kids, especially teenagers - words of support from people their own age can be very important for young political prisoners.
_____________________

Российский режим каждый день сажает в тюрьмы всё больше невинных людей. Многие из них - совсем юные люди, которые должны сейчас учиться в школах и университетах, а не сидеть в СИЗО и колониях. Это время - важнейшее для формирования личности - они вынуждены находиться в заключении, часто, рискуя быть подверженными физическим и психологическим пыткам.

Этим ребятам, как и другим политзаключённым, нужна ваша поддержка! Приходите в это воскресенье писать им письма. Приносите свои планшеты и ноутбуки, т.к. бумажная почта не ходит из Канады в Россию. Мы расскажем, о чём можно написать в письме и как его отправить. Приводите своих детей, особенно подростков - слова поддержки от сверстников наверняка поддержат политзаключённых ещё больше ❤️‍🩹

As part of the series of events organized by @rcda

As part of the series of events organized by @rcda_adcr in support of political prisoners, we are happy to announce the screening of the documentary "The Dmitriev Affair" by Jessica Gorter @jessica_m_gorter

📅 Date: Thursday, August 1st
🏠 Location: @theatre.sainte_catherine 264 Sainte-Catherine Est, Montreal H2X 1L4
⏰ Doors Open: 7:00 PM
🎥 Screening: 7:30 PM

Through a thick layer of snow in the forests of Russia, historian Yuri Dmitriev searches for unmarked and lost graves. His singular efforts have uncovered mass burial sites of those who were killed under Stalin’s “Great Terror” of 1937. With no help from official channels, he traces the dead and rescues their memory from the eternal doom of oblivion. Dmitriev’s riveting story is a tale of one man’s fight against the erasure of history by the state. – Bedatri D. Choudhury

Yuri Dmitriev is now a political prisoner. In 2016, he was arrested and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The screening will be accompanied by a message recorded by the director, Jessica Gorter🤍!

Don't miss this powerful and important documentary.

After the screening we will invite everyone to read the names that were identified by Yuri Dmitriev.
August 5 - International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Great Terror. Sandarmokh is an international memorial site, where people of 56 ethnicities rest. At present, 6241 names are known.
On this day, the names of those who perished are read across the world. As last year, we will be participating in this memorial event organized by the @memorial.hrc @memorial.society and invite everyone to join us! On August 1st we will read some of the names, record it, and send it to the organizers.

#thedmitrievaffair #documentaryscreening #montrealevents #montreal #jessicagorter #politicalprisoners #yuridmitriev #RCDA #freedomforpoliticalprisoners #свободуполитзаключенным #свободуюриюдмитриеву #rememberthenames #ReturningtheNames

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