Video report (by 1st Sgt Spc Lukas Kalvaitis)
Video report (by Sgt Spc Lukas Tamošiūnas)
“NATO has proven again and again it is able to adapt to ongoing changes, to retain unity despite the malignant attempts to dismantle it, and that it is an irreplaceable organisation in ensuring collective security in Europe and safeguarding reliable deterrence and defence,” Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis says.
The 70th NATO anniversary and the 15th Lithuania’s anniversary in NATO were celebrated on March 30 in Simonas Daukantas Square in Vilnius at noon by hoisting the flags of NATO and Lithuania, the audience was congratulated by President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius, Commander of the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) in Vilnius Jakob Søgård Larsen with representatives of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, Government of the Republic of Lithuania, foreign guests and defence attachés.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces Honour Guard Company gave a celebratory performance with gun discharges, the event was conducted to the tunes of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Band, Trimitas State Wind Orchestra, and the Representative Wind Orchestra of the Ministry of the Interior, musical campaign for schoolchildren “What We Do Is For Peace” took place.
From 1300hrs the celebration moved to the areain front of the Ministry of National Defence: a static display of military equipment and weaponry brought to Lithuania by our allies was presented. The 36 tone Boxer wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, Fenek armoured reconnaissance vehicle, and other equipment brought by the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group deployed in Lithuania several years ago were available for viewing, also, activities of the NATO Force Integration Unit opened in Vilnius in 2015 were presented and its staff from 14 allies were available for a chat.
The National Defence Volunteer Force Big Band and soloists and the Kivi Lithuanian Children and Youth Centre Choir were performing, various creative studios for kids, or not only kids, were available.
Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis also made it on time for the celebration from his formal trip to the United States on March 26-29.
After depositing the documents of ratification of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, U.S., on March 29, 2004, Lithuania became a full-fledged member of the Alliance that seeks to prevent military conflict and preserve peace for nearly one billion people. For 70 years since its establishment in 1949 members of the Alliance have been bound together by history, shared values, and objectives.
Photo gallery (credits: Alfredas Pliadis)
Video (lithuania in NATO: 2004-2019)
Photo credits: Sgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė
