As the world commemorates the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, a new generation is raising its voice for global unity. Anna Yuschenko, a Russian student at Beijing's Tsinghua University, shares her family's wartime legacy and vision for cross-cultural understanding.
"My great-grandparents survived bombings and starvation," Yuschenko told KhabarAsia, describing faded photographs that shaped her childhood. "Their stories taught me fascism wasn't just defeated by armies – it was rejected by humanity."
The international relations scholar emphasizes that today's youth face different challenges: "Our battle is against historical amnesia. When Generation Z in Moscow, Shanghai, or Berlin studies WWII, we're not memorizing dates – we're learning how quickly division can become disaster."
Her comments come as Asian and European nations hold joint memorial events. Analysts note growing interest in WWII's lessons among young people, particularly regarding economic cooperation and conflict prevention mechanisms in the Asia-Pacific region.
