Each May, Norwegians and Serbs gather in remembrance of our compatriots - the innocent victims of 1942–45.

The descendants of the Serbian victims, representatives of Serbian associations and of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Mayor of Saltdal Municipality, Runar Leivdal Jensen, together with many Norwegians whose ancestors helped our internees, gathered around the monument, before which Norwegian soldiers held an honour guard carrying the flags of Serbia and Norway.

Traditionally, the gathering on Victory Day in the Second World War is organised by the Foundation “Culture of Remembrance of the Blood Road”. Ambassador Jasmina Mitrović Marić expressed special gratitude to its founder, historian Mr Knut Flovik, who has dedicated his scholarly work to the Serbs who perished in Norway.

To the sound of the trumpet, the Ambassador of Serbia laid a wreath and addressed those present with a commemorative speech. She then, in a deeply moving encounter, heard the courageous testimonies of Norwegians who, as children, helped Serbs in the camps: Mrs Magnhild Martinussen, Mr Knut Ridningen and Mr Tore Bentsen.

The legend of the Bloody Cross lives on in the Banjac family, as well as among Serbs and Norwegians. The people of Botn carefully preserve this unique memory as the strongest link binding our two peoples together.

The newly established Serbian association “Miloš Crnjanski” marked its patron saint’s day, St Mark, for the first time at the Blood Road Museum. The service was officiated by a priest of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Norwegian-born Father Johannes Solberg.