Lithuania is celebrating the 94-year anniversary of re-establishment of statehood on Thursday, 16 February. Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski is coming to Lithuania for the occasion.
In Vilnius, the festive events will kick off with a tribute to signatories of the 1918 Independence Act at Rasu Cemetery. Later in the day, a state awards ceremony will take place at the President's Office, followed by a ceremony to hoist flags of the three Baltic nations in Simono Daukanto Square in front of the President's Office at noon.
A ceremony is planned outside the House of Lithuanian Independence Signatories in the afternoon, just ahead of a ceremony outside the Defense Ministry dedicated to 63-year anniversary of the 16 February 1949 Declaration published by the Lithuanian Movement of Freedom Fights.
National culture and arts prizes will be awarded at the President's Office, with 16 traditional fires lit on the city's central Gedimino Avenue. A fire, special effects and fireworks event will take place at the Cathedral Square in the evening.
A solemn ceremony, hoisting of the flag of the Order of Cross of Vytis, will take place outside the Vytautas Magnus War Museum in Lithuania's second-largest city Kaunas, followed by a festive three-colored action in Unity Square and a kite campaign on an island in the River Nemunas.
A ceremony is also planned at the Kaunas State Music Theater.
A series of official events to celebrate the occasion is planned in other towns of Lithuania, in addition to rallies, concerts, etc.
On 16 February 1918, the Council of Lithuania headed by Jonas Basanavičius, citing the historic right of self-determination of nations published by US President Woodrow Wilson, proclaimed restoration of an independent and democratic state of Lithuania with a capital in Vilnius.
Since 1915, Lithuania was administered by the German occupational administration after more than 100 years of being part of the Russian Empire.
BNS, 15min.lt info
