Press release, 23 August 2014
On the initiative of the Baltic Assembly, trees were planted close to the buildings of the national Parliaments of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to mark the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way.
An oak tree was planted near the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania by the Speaker of the Seimas, Loreta Graužinienė, and the Head of the Seimas Delegation to the Baltic Assembly, Giedrė Purvaneckienė. The Deputy Speaker Algirdas Sysas and members of the Seimas Delegation to the Baltic Assembly also attended the event.
Winners and participants of the secondary school pupils’ essay competition arranged by the Baltic Assembly “What does the Baltic Way mean to me?” received their awards during the event. In her congratulatory address, the Speaker of the Seimas said: “We are particularly delighted to see our younger generation that was born and grew in the independent Lithuania and is standing in the Baltic Way today. I am extremely happy to meet young people who are not only gifted, diligent and motivated in pursuing their goals but who are also public-spirited, mature and active. Mrs Graužinienė encouraged everyone to use the opportunity to listen to the accounts of eye-witnesses on the events that were most significant in our country’s history: “Let them tell you about the Baltic Way, about the excitement we experienced when we stood holding each other’s hands and suddenly became so close to each other.”
The Head of the Delegation to the Baltic Assembly, Giedrė Purvaneckienė, recalled the significance of the Baltic Way in the first three years of the independence of the three Baltic States and later, in their accession to the EU and NATO: “The Baltic Way embodied the unity of the three Baltic sisters while the Baltic Assembly is also one of the institutions that has until now materialised the unity of the Baltic States. It bears special significance today, in the face of the on-going international developments,” the MP said.
The pupils, their family members and friends were invited to visit the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and had an opportunity to meet the Speaker and members of the Seimas.
Justė Radzevičiūtė-Laugalienė, Public Relations Unit, Office of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6210,
e-mail: [email protected]
