Press release, 5 July 2016
Photo of the Archive of the Office of the Seimas
Concluding her working visit in the United States of America, Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, opened the exhibition of photographs and documents titled On the Road of Democracy: 150th Birth Anniversary of Kazys Grinius, which was hosted in the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington. The exhibition was dedicated to the 150th birth anniversary of Kazys Grinius, President, Prime Minister, Member of the Constituent Assembly and the First, Second and Third Seimas, doctor and publicist.
The exhibition was first held in the Seimas a couple of months ago following the declaration of 2016 as the year of Kazys Grinius. Mrs Graužinienė admitted that back then she had wished that the exhibition reached as many compatriots as possible, especially the young generation, and went beyond the borders of Lithuania. She said that the exhibition enabled to learn more about both Kazys Grinius as a personality of outstanding merit in respect of our nation and State and the then historical, political and social context of his activities.
The Speaker of the Seimas stressed that the life of Kazys Grinius was closely linked to the development of the Lithuanian statehood. “Even on the other side of the Atlantic, in the United States, he, in his mature years, promoted the vital interests of Lithuania until the very last moment of his life and made every effort and used all international contacts to help restore the independence of Lithuania. [...] This was a person who moved forward hand in hand with his nation and State and worked for their benefit.
The Speaker of the Seimas invited those gathered to follow the example of Kazys Grinius and “to protect and foster the Lithuanian identity in any circumstances, irrespective of how far away one is from Lithuania.”
Closing her speech, Mrs Graužinienė thanked the Lithuanian Embassy for housing the exhibition and expressed her expectation that, when travelling around the United States, the exhibition would celebrate the centenary of the Lithuanian parliamentarianism, yet another beautiful and meaningful anniversary for the Lithuanian nation and State.
Neringa Mikėnaitė, Adviser to the Speaker of the Seimas, tel. +370 5 239 6344, mob. +370 698 42 759, e-mail: [email protected]
