Independence Day bonfires lit in Vilnius on Thursday evening

Sixteen bonfires were lit in Gediminas Avenue in Vilnius on Thursday evening, 16 February, as Lithuania celebrated Independence Day.

This year, the bonfires were lit at the ceremony by Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Vilnius Metropolitan Archbishop Gintaras Grušas, Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius, Ambassador of Ukraine to Lithuania Petro Beshta, head of the organisation Blue/Yellow Jon Ohman, US Ambassador to Lithuania Robert S. Gilchrist, Ambassador of Estonia to Lithuania Kai Kaarelson, Ambassador of Poland to Lithuania Urszula Doroszewska, musician, producer and actor Andrius Mamontovas, architect, one of the initiators of Sąjūdis (the reform movement of Lithuania) Algirdas Kaušpėdas, Director General of the Lithuanian Radio and Television (LRT) Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, writer Kristina Sabaliauskaitė, Vilnius University Rector Rimvydas Petrauskas, commander of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union Colonel Albertas Dapkus and members of the Riflemen’s Union.