Returning the Names: Vigil for Victims of Soviet Terror

On October 29th, we gather for Returning the Names, an annual vigil to remember those who were exiled, imprisoned, and executed under Soviet terror. In 2007, the first vigil took place in Moscow at the Solovetsky Stone – a memorial in Moscow dedicated to the victims of Soviet political repression. Since then, on this day, people across Russia and around the world have stood together to speak aloud the names of those the regime tried to erase.

But October 29th is not only a day of mourning. It is also a day of questions: Why do we remember? What connects us? How do we resist forgetting? For some, this memory is a family tragedy. For others, it is an act of solidarity — a recognition that the crimes of the past are bound to the repression and war crimes of today.

This year, vigils will again take place near memorials and public spaces around the world. You can join an existing gathering, or you can host one yourself — large or small, public or private. All that is needed is a space, a list of names (which we will provide), and people willing to read them aloud.

Wherever you live, you can take part. Stand with friends from post-Soviet countries in their grief, and together take a stand against modern authoritarianism. You will find instructions and resources for organizers on our website.

They erased the names once. We return them.