This the year of Vilnius! The capital of Lithuania has reached the year of a majestic anniversary – its 700th. The municipality began celebrations as early as 2021, but 2023 will be most exciting as the date proclaimed by Grand Duke Gediminas to be opened to the world.
Mayor Remigijus Šimašius declared that the spirit of celebration will continue throughout the year, with many organizations involved in the anniversary program. Vilnius’ 700th birthday has also been granted commemorative status by UNESCO.
Partnering with Vilnius for the anniversary are over 100 organizations from the public sector and NGO’s, festival organizers, private businesses and city communities. The program is intended to highlight the values espoused by the city: freedom, tolerance and harmony among cultures, and includes consulates and embassies abroad to unite the community, create continuing initiatives and ensure communication to present the capital as an ambitious, open, and innovative city.
Special guests will include mayors of other European cities as well as leaders and experts in many fields. Together with “Eurocities”, a network of 200 cities in 38 countries, Vilnius municipality is organizing and international conference “Champion Cities Summit 2023: Champions Think Bold“. Mayors of European and other cities will gather in Vilnius on January 24 to exchange best practices and share ideas about city development, climate change, education and diversification and to establish new partnerships.
The most important dates for the capital will be January 25, when Vilnius was first mentioned in written sources 700 years ago, and July 25, when its patron, St. Christopher, will be commemorated.
On January 25, the Vilnius Festival of Lights will begin in Cathedral Square with an event called “Portal of Time. Vilnius – 700 Years Young”. Inga Romanovskienė, director of GoVilnius, the city’s official development agency, notes that January is a special month for Vilnius, because this was when, 700 years ago, Gediminas proclaimed his famous letters and told the world about this city. Besides the festival of lights, the city will come alive with exhibitions, concerts, theatrical and cinematic events.
On July 25th, a music festival “As Young as Vilnius” will be held in Vingis Park, with classical and contemporary music featuring famous Lithuanian performers and a special guest from abroad. The first concert in 2022 brought together an audience of about 45,000.
The Loftas Art Factory in Vilnius, (“where music, arts and city dreams meet each other”), is coordinating the project “Kartą Vilniuje“ – “Once in Vilnius”, where Vilnius residents and guests are invited to share their experience of the capital and become co-creators of a film about Vilnius. The Lithuanian National Museum will leave its facilities to organize a pavilion “Vilnius 200 years ago”, with workshops and educational events telling the city’s history. The national opera and ballet companies will use artificial intelligence to restage the first opera performed in Vilnius in the 17th century. Many events featuring newly composed music will enliven the squares and parks of the city throughout the year.
Separate celebratory programs will be presented by Vilnius University, the Grand Dukes’ Palace, the National Museum of Art, the Institute of Lithuanian History, the National Martynas Mažvydas Libarary and other institutions. Vilnius will host the “Liublin Four” Historical Congress, the Nobel prizewinners’ conference “Vilnius – the City of UNESCO Literary Heritage” and other events. The 700th anniversary will also be a major theme in the high school curriculum, with excursions for students to learn about the capital and experience it through the five senses.
A wonderful year to visit the Lithuanian capital!
With information from Alkas.lt
