Press release, 13 January 2015
Dear family members of the Defenders of Freedom who lost their lives on the 13th of January;
Your Excellency President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė;
Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius;
President Valdas Adamkus;
President of the Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas, Vytautas Landsbergis;
and all distinguished guests of the solemn commemoration,
Today we commemorate the 13th of January, the Day of the Defenders of Freedom. This day is greatly significant in the history of the Lithuanian state, just like the 16th of February and the 11th of March. These three important dates form an impressive trilogy of historical events in the development of our nation in the past century: first, independence of Lithuania was proclaimed; second, the independence was restored and, third, the independence was defended. Fates of ordinary people lie behind these important dates. Fates that have changed Lithuania and each and every of us. If it were not for the night of the 13th of January, we would not be the way we are today. That was the night that mobilised and united us all with a common painful but powerful experience of FREEDOM that pierced through our whole being. Freedom that conquers even death.
With greatest respect and gratitude, we bow our heads to:
Loreta Asanavičiūtė,
Virginijus Druskis,
Darius Gerbutavičius,
Rolandas Jankauskas,
Rimantas Juknevičius,
Alvydas Kanapinskas,
Algimantas Petras Kavoliukas,
Vidas Maciulevičius,
Titas Masiulis,
Alvydas Matulka,
Apolinaras Juozas Povilaitis,
Ignas Šimulionis,
Vytautas Vaitkus,
Vytautas Koncevičius.
Freedom is their pedestal of honour; freedom is their living in the memory of all of us.
The fate of these people changed the fate of the whole nation. Their memory lives on with us every day in our aspirations and our deeds. Let us honour with a minute of silence the memory of those who have fallen for Lithuania’s freedom.
Thank you.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The darkness of the night has no power against the break of the day.
In the pages of Lithuanian history, the night of the 13th of January is one of the darkest, however, one of the most majestic ones at the same time. That was the night when we all went to sing freedom. Even until the last breath, if needed. This is why even today, almost a quarter of a century later, we are still so moved and inspired by the determination and conviction of the defenders of freedom who were on duty that night, that their place was namely here and that free Lithuania lies in each and every of us.
United and with our free will, we met our destiny on the night of the 13th of January. The destiny that took the lives of fourteen of us. We woke up completely different when, after the darkness of the night, a new day started breaking. Shaken by our painful loss, however, still stronger and even more determined. We are those who continue this most noble mission today and carry the flag of freedom to future generations. I believe that the 13th of January has left an indelible stamp of freedom on the heart of each and every of us.
Thank you.
