Press Releases

Commemoration of March 11 to be joined in by foreign visitors

Tuesday, March 9, Vilnius - This March 11, Lithuania will commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Restoration of Independence. Latvia's President Valdis Zatlers, Estonia's President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, Poland's President Lech Kaczyński, Finland's President Tarja Halonen, and Slovenia's President Danilo Türk plan to visit Vilnius on this occasion. The commemorative events are expected to be attended by the U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Pamela Quanrud, Sweden's Minister for European Union Affairs Birgitta Ohlsson, Russia's Minister of Transport Igor Levitin, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs Petro Poroshenko, former President of Estonia Arnold Rüütel, and other guests from foreign states. The commemoration of the Anniversary of Restoration of Lithuania's Independence will also be joined in by heads of parliaments of Armenia, Bulgaria, Poland, Georgia, Czech Republic, Iceland, United Kingdom, Moldova, Slovenia, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, and the United States of America.

On the eve of the anniversary, President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė will present medals of the 20th Anniversary of Restoration of Independence to the signatories of the Act of Independence and members of the Initiative Group of the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjūdis and the Council of the Seimas of the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjūdis, for their exceptional contribution to the history of the State.

On Thursday, March 11, the commemorative events will start with a solemn sitting at the Seimas.

The solemn sitting at the Seimas will be followed by a congratulatory address by President Dalia Grybauskaitė to the people of Lithuania on the Independence Square, after which the President and the foreign visitors will watch the ceremony of hoisting flags of the three Baltic States and a solemn parade by the Lithuanian Armed Forces and other militarized structures from the Independence Square to the Cathedral.

Later, the President and foreign guests will celebrate Holy Mass at the Vilnius Cathedral.

The Office of the President will host a gala lunch to the honor of the heads of foreign states visiting Lithuania on the occasion of the Anniversary of Independence.

After dinner, the President will have bilateral meetings with Poland's President Lech Kaczyński and Latvia's President Valdis Zatlers.

Later in the evening, a celebratory pop concert will take place on the Cathedral Square with popular Lithuanian singers performing. The concert will be given to locals and visitors free of charge.

For the media:

Below is the preliminary programme of events to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Restoration of Lithuania's Independence:

10:00 Solemn sitting at the Seimas (journalists will have the possibility to work from a loge above the main entrance of the hall. Journalists accredited to the Seimas, especially cameramen and photographers, are expected to work in the aforementioned place. Please take note that journalists will not be allowed to work on the staircase next to the loge. Journalists can reach the loge by stairs through the main entrance situated in the Exhibition Gallery of the Seimas. Journalist will not be admitted to the Hall later than 5 minutes before the start of the solemn commemoration.

12:00 Three Baltic States' flag-hoisting ceremony on the Independence Square (journalists can only work on the specially erected platform, which will be reserved only for journalists with special accreditation for March 11 events, who must appear there no later than by 11:45)

12:30 Parade of the Lithuanian Armed Forces from the Independence Square to the Cathedral Square.

13:30 Holy Mass at the Vilnius Cathedral (due to the limited space, only official photographers and cameramen will be given the opportunity to attend the Holy Mass).

15:00 Meeting of the heads of foreign states in the Office of the President (journalists should arrive at 14:00 for a security check-up. A special place on the Daukanto Square will be reserved for journalists who wish to cover the arrival of the heads of states. Other journalists will be escorted to the Green Hall in the Office of President, where President Dalia Grybauskaitė will greet the foreign quests. Journalists who choose to work on the Daukanto Square will not be allowed into the Green Hall).

Please, note once again that special accreditation is a must for March 11 events. Journalists should also carry an ID document with a photo.