On May 3, Lithuania and Poland mark the 230th anniversary of the Constitution of May 3 and the Mutual Pledge of the Commonwealth of the Two Nations. Signed on May 3, 1791, the Constitution of 3 May is considered by the two countries as the first written constitution in Europe. A joint remote commemorative sitting of the Lithuanian and Polish parliaments will be held in Vilnius and Warsaw. Also, a ceremony will be held in the Royal Castle in Warsaw and a discussion on the future of Europe will be held with regional state leaders. President Gitanas Nausėda and the First Lady will pay a visit to Poland after Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited Vilnius on May 2.
Four laureates of the Two Nations Awards presented by the Assembly of the Lithuanian Seimas and the Sejm and Senate of Poland will be welcomed during this anniversary year. The Lithuanian delegation at the assembly decided to give the 2021 award to writer Kristina Sabaliauskaitė and translator Edward Piórko. The award is presented to people who have significantly contributed to the cooperation of the two countries. Former awardees include Czeslaw Milosz, Tomas Venclova, and Alfredas Bumblauskas. The first award was presented in 1999.
An exhibition by the Lithuanian and Polish history museums about the May 3 Constitution will be opened in the Cathedral Square in Vilnius. On Wednesday, Tomasz Grodzki, marshal of the Polish Senate, is scheduled to come to Vilnius to attend an event at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
Coinciding with the anniversary of the Constitution of May 3, the leaders of Lithuania, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine signed a declaration of support and cooperation with countries striving for democratic changes. According to a statement from the Lithuanian president’s office, the five leaders “committed to support the development of the region based on fundamental democratic values – freedom of citizens, sovereignty of states, democracy, rule of law, equality, and solidarity principles”.
The declaration also underscored the significance of the May 3 Constitution for Poland and Lithuania and their shared history and bond. The leaders also “stressed the extraordinary value of the document in the development of European political thought as it became the first fundamental law on our continent and the second one worldwide”, a statement from the president’s office said.
With news from LRT.lt,
Office of the President of Lithuania
