Joint Picnic of Ukrainians and Lithuanians
On the International Children’s Day, 1 June, Ukrainian citizens residing in Kaunas and Kaunas citizens are invited to take part in a solidarity picnic, which will take place in the VMU Botanical Garden from 5 p.m. One of the longest open-air art galleries in the Baltic States, aimed at communicating freedom and the brutality of war, will also be launched on this day. The initiators of the picnic are 1k.lt and the International Congress “CoHappiness. Rewilding & Rethinking.”
They are us, we are them
The idea of the picnic is important for several reasons. First, there is an increase in divisive and dubious content on social media. Second, a fulfilling community life for mothers and children who have fled the war zone in Ukraine is essential to keep their spirits up. Ukrainian families have been living in Lithuania for more than two months and are still trying to adapt to life in another country: they are actively integrating into the labour market and the education system and are developing new social and cultural habits. Ukrainian families are becoming part of our society: the line between “them” and “us” has blurred. There is only us. And the picnic provides a natural setting for getting to know each other better.
The idea is supported by Kamado Bono, Santoku, Mona Ližė, Urban Pizza Dealer, and Čilas, who will prepare 2,000 portions of food for Ukrainians during the picnic. Meanwhile, Ukrainian women will treat the participants to Ukrainian borscht. Everyone is welcome to bring blankets, food and board games.
During the picnic, children will be able to engage in educational activities, a library will be open, there will be sporting activities, dancing, drawing workshops, women will join the sutartinės circle, and adults will also be able to participate in lectures, a book presentation and other activities.
Aiming for the longest open-air art gallery
To express solidarity with the Ukrainian people, a live graffiti drawing by invited artists in the open-air art gallery No-Fly Zone will also be launched on the day of the picnic. As Russia commits genocide in Ukraine and the world becomes increasingly used to the idea of war in this country, the CoHappiness congress and the Kyiv art gallery Karas Gallery hope to once again draw the world’s attention to the brutal hostilities that are taking place in the middle of Europe in the 21st century. All participants of the picnic will be able to watch the artists in action.
The 1 km long open-air gallery “No-Fly Zone” will be located in the symbolic former military aviation territory in Aleksotas, Kaunas. The gallery will be created by local, foreign and Ukrainian artists and Ukrainian communities. Both professional artists and Ukrainian families with children who have left for Lithuania will join forces, thus involving them in street art educational activities.
During the days of the congress, artists from Ukraine Maria Oscpischeva and Mariko Gelman, as well as Scott Hattox, a pop art artist from Los Angeles, USA, will be capturing their experiences live on the wall. The artificial intelligence experiment Baby Aleksa, curated by Nomeda and Gediminas Urbonas, will also have its visual say on the war in Ukraine, which will be transferred on the wall by live graphic artist Tadas Šimkus. The live drawing will run until 3 June.
Selected drawings by Ukrainian children will also become part of the No-Fly Zone gallery. There will be educational drawing workshops for them and their families during the picnic. The best works will be transferred onto the wall by live graphic artists.
The second phase of creative work in the gallery is scheduled for July.
The first artistic statement in the gallery space was made on 17 March – drawings by the internationally renowned Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi depicting the absurdity of the war were realised on the wall.
The International Congress “CoHappiness. Rewilding & Rethinking”, which will take place on 1-3 June in Kaunas, will discuss the prerequisites and conditions for happiness in these turbulent times of war, health, ecological and social crises. This year’s congress will focus on relationships with others: with people we are willing or unwilling to let into our lives, animals, trees and all other life forms.
The picnic will take place on Wednesday, 1 June, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., in the VMU Botanical Garden (Ž. E. Žilibero g. 4), Kaunas.
Event sponsors: UAB Bidfood Lietuva, Kamado bono, Santoku Asian Shock, Mona Ližė, Urban Pizza Dealer, Čilas, Suliko, NYC Coffee, and Solidarumo kava.
The idea is supported by: Nuova group of companies, Me Gusta dance studio, Crazy Foxes, Lady & Grace, Kotryna Zylė, Dorotė Girskienė, Yzipet, Kaunas Vincas Kudirka Public Library, Oku Karate Academy, association Lygiai, non-governmental organization Stebėk Teises, and Tadas Šimkus.
