Speeches

Speech by H.E. Dalia Grybauskaitė, President of the Republic of Lithuania, at the Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of the Declaration of the Restoration of Latvian Independence Riga, 4 May 2010

Dear Latvian Brothers and Sisters,

For twenty years now we have been living in re-independent democracies and for centuries we have been living side by side. Together we maintained our customs and traditions, created folk songs, and held national song festivals. Together we built and defended our cities, towns and our nations.

We have a saying in Lithuania: relatives are close but neighbors are even closer. They are closer to us in times of joy and in times of sorrow. Our people are not only neighbors, we are also sister nations. We are the only two Balt nations in the world, so we have to stand together. Let us work together for the truth and the good of all!

Thank you, dear Latvian brothers and sisters, for never failing to lend a friendly shoulder. You have always remained dignified in the face of pain and suffering; you have always been strong, composed and determined when crossing the stormy seas of history. As the well-known Latvian poet and translator of Lithuanian literature, Knuts Skujenieks, wrote: "When you reach the other shore, go forward and fear not." We, Lithuanians, should also heed these words of encouragement!

May the Baltic Unity Way which has led us to freedom continue guiding us on the path towards good and prosperity. Dear people of Latvia, I wish you all the best in the years to come. May you have centuries of happiness and continued success!