VMU Marked the Day of Freedom Defenders

On Wednesday, January 12, honourable guests from many foreign countries and the members of VMU community commemorated the events of January 13th and their significance to Lithuania.

The events of January 13, 1991 were remembered and their significance was discussed at the building of Vytautas Magnus University rectorate (K. Donelaičio 58) together with a number of special guests: Mikel Arregui (the head of the EFE Agency’s office in Moscow), Ingvald Godal (the member of the Norwegian Support Committee for Chechnya and the Chairman of the Council of the Baltic Sea States), Péter Nahimi (director of the Scientific Institute of Applied Communication, member of the office of the Hungarian Democratic Forum), Huba Kozma (member of the Hungarian Parliament), Peter Koszó (the vice mayor of Hódmezővásárhely in Hungary), Ilona Jocionisne Meszaros (Hungarian Honorary Consul), Viktor Šeinis (member of the Political Committee of the “Yabloko” party and a public figure, Russia), Genady Burbulis (adviser to Chairman of the Federation Council, public figure, Russia), Yuri Afanasiev (public figure, historian, member of the academy of sciences, professor who talked to Vytautas Landsbergis on the phone on the night of January 13th), Daniel Tarschys (professor of political science at Stockholm University, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, former Secretary General of the Council of Europe) and other guests.

Before the discussion moderated by prof. Liudas Mažylis, the guests took the tour of the Kaunas Department of the Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) (S. Daukanto g. 28A). After sharing their insights at the VMU Rectorate, the guests also visited the Historical Presidential Palace of Lithuania in Kaunas (Vilniaus g. 33), where the exhibition ‘Under the Red Star: Lithuanian Fine Arts 1940-1941’ was opened, remembering the 70th anniversary of the occupation of Lithuania; the guests took a closer look at an exposition presenting the background and the circumstances of how the institution of the President has been established in Lithuania, as well as the significance this institution has to the public life.

Participating in the meeting with the guests also were VMU Vice Rector for Research Prof. Juozas Augutis, VMU Vice Rector for Public Communication Prof. Auksė Balčytienė, Prof. Liudas Mažylis, Head of the VMU International Office Zina Baltrėnienė, representatives of the VMU Rectorate and other members of the VMU community.

You are welcome to view the photo report from the event by Jonas Petronis (j.petronis@vkt.vdu.lt).