Check the #Kaunastic list of celebrations for the 100 years of restored Lithuania in Kaunas. From light festivals and art installations to cosy personal events – this is the weekend to celebrate.
On February 16, 1918, the 20 representatives of the Council of Lithuania signed The Act of Reinstating Independence of Lithuania in Vilnius. The 100 years up until today has been a bumpy road for our country – back then, Lithuania was under the German rule, after that the capital had to be moved to Kaunas as Vilnius was occupied by the Polish army. In the wake of WW2, Vilnius became the capital again but Lithuania was occupied by the Soviets. The occupation lasted for almost 50 years; the independent State was re-established on March 11, 1990, which led to the January events of 1991. In 2004, independent Lithuania joined the EU and NATO.
All the Baltic countries – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia – are celebrating their 100 years this year.
If you want to find out more about Lithuanian history, come in for a chat with KTU Museum Leader Audronė Veilentienė. She will introduce you to less known facts, and also to the KTU’s community contribution to fighting for freedom of Lithuania.
In Kaunas, the Centennial celebrations will start on Wednesday, 14 February. At 6pm in Kaunas State Philharmonic on 6pm the orchestra of the Baltic academies led by conductors Kristjan Järvi (Estonia), Guntis Kuzma (Latvia) and Modestas Barkauskas (Lithuania) will perform best compositions of Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian composers and masterpieces of the world. More concerts to follow through the weekend, please check Kaunas Tourist Information page for details.
Centennial is a festival of colours and light. For some time now, Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT has been inviting everyone to raise the national tricolour for the Centennial celebrations. It is possible that every city, town and village will turn yellow-green-red before 16 February, as the flags in the shops have already been sold out for weeks!
The Kaunas Light Festival will be back for the long weekend: 18 buildings important to the statehood of Lithuania will be lit up in the city centre and the Old Town, including Historic Presidential Palace, Central Post, Medicine Faculty, Officers’ Club, National M. K. Čiurlionis Museum of Art and several buildings on Putvinskio Street. The festival will run through Sunday.
On Thursday and Friday, 15–16 February KTU will join in by introducing the innovative art space. Director Alius Veverskis and KTU are inviting to look at the main historical events of Lithuania through the eyes of young artists. The interactive art space for the 100th Jubilee of the Restoration of the State will open for visitors on 15–16 February. To find out more, click here.
Free-of-charge museum tours, performances, carillon and choral music concerts, poetry reading in historical funicular, ice sculptures in Presidential Palace garden – Kaunas is really a place to celebrate the 100th Lithuanian birthday.
Welcome to our party, be our guest and let’s enjoy our freedom together.
