CELEBRATION OF THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF RESTORATION OF INDEPENDENCE OF LITHUANIA IN TALLINN
On 11 March, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania, the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in Estonia hosted a diplomatic reception and a concert at the Tallinn Philharmonic House of Blackheads. Lithuanian and Estonian national anthems were performed together with guests of the event by Lithuanian jazz quintet CinAmono.
In his welcome speech, the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to Estonia H.E. Giedrius Apuokas noted that March 11 is a personal experience for thousands of Lithuanian citizens of the present generation, who were not observers but active participants taking responsibility for the future of their country. The Ambassador reviewed the main events that supported the hope of Lithuania's liberation from the Soviet occupation and marked the path to freedom: from the sacrifice of Romas Kalanta, the Baltic Appeal of 45 Baltic men initiated by Lithuanian dissidents and Chronicles of Lithuanian Catholic Church to the Lithuanian Freedom League rally at A. Mickevičius monument, foundation of Sajudis, Baltic Way and the Act of Restoration of Independence of Lithuania on March 11th 1990.
Members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of the Estonian institutions, military, culture and art organizations and members of the Lithuanian community in Estonia enjoyed the concert of the jazz band CinAmono from Lithuania: Laura Budreckytė (vocal), Ričardas Banys (piano, keys), Vytis Nivinskas (bass), Domantas Razmus (drums, percussion) and Simonas Šipavičius (saxophone). Lithuanian musicians delighted the listeners with improvisations of their creation, melodies of other Lithuanian authors and arrangements of popular foreign music.
The celebration of March 11 was culminated by a festive buffet hosted by the Embassy and informal guest interaction. The event was sponsored by Maxima, a Lithuanian company operating in Estonia.
