Founded two years ago on the initiative of the first lady of Lithuania, Diana Nausėdienė, and the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, the Ukrainian Centre in Vilnius offers the Ukrainian community in Lithuania an open space for culture, education and community services. The founders of the Centre are the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Vytautas Magnus University, and the Ukrainian Embassy in Lithuania.
To mark the anniversary, a picnic for Ukrainian communities was organised in the VMU Botanical Garden in Kaunas. The event featured a fair of organisations supporting the Ukrainian Centre, various educational and informative activities, and musical performances by artists from the Ukrainian Centre.
The celebration was attended by foreign ambassadors accredited to Lithuania, the authorities of Vytautas Magnus University and the university community, and the Ukrainian Centre’s partners, including representatives of cultural institutes in Lithuania, non-governmental organisations, and members of the Ukrainian community in Lithuania.
Addressing the guests at the event, the first lady emphasised that the Ukrainian Centre has not only become a beacon of hope for the Ukrainian people and created opportunities to foster the rich Ukrainian culture in Lithuania, but also helped preserve their identity. She highlighted that the Centre demonstrates how much can be achieved through collective effort.
“Thank you to the staff and volunteers of the Ukrainian Centre, and to each and every one of you, for giving Ukrainian children a European future. This is the essence of humanism, the driving force behind our faith in the light, which I believe is helping Ukraine move toward victory. This victory is for the entire democratic world, for its future, its hope, and its humanity. No war, no weapons can destroy our inner strength, unity, and determination to defend the principles of a peaceful life,” Mrs Nausėdienė spoke.
The first lady expressed her gratitude to Ukrainian Ambassador Petro Beshta, Rector of Vytautas Magnus University Dr Juozas Augutis, Japanese Ambassador Tetsu Ozaki and his spouse Harumi Ozaki, Polish Ambassador Konstanty Radziwiłł and his spouse, Latvian Ambassador Solveiga Silkalna, Head of the Polish Institute Dorota Mamaj, Dutch Ambassador Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford and his spouse Janet Anderson, Spanish Ambassador María Nieves Blanco Díaz, as well as the British Council, the Kazickas Family Foundation, and all the Centre’s partners.
The first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska, also extended her video greetings and thanks to the participants of the event.
“May joy and peace return to every home in Ukraine. Let us strengthen the defenders of Ukraine with our heartfelt support and warmest encouragement. May you all be healthy, strong, full of bright ideas and hope. Let us celebrate life in the name of world peace!” Mrs Nausėdienė expressed her wishes.