On March 20–21 the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania hosted international Baltic Military Conference 2019 for the first organised in Lithuania. At the event high ranking officers, defence policy shapers, diplomats, and academics were focusing in the security and defence of the Baltic region and discussed peculiarities of preparation for defence and application of the Western military experience in the Baltic states.
The conference organised under the auspices of the Chief of Defence of Lithuania was attended by Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis, Minister of Defence of Finland Jussi Niinistö, and other experts from the Baltic region, NATO allies, U.S., and partner countries.
The conference addressed military-strategic changes in the Baltic Sea region since regaining the Baltic independence in 1990, provided an overview of the defence policy of Finland after the annexation of Crimea.
Speakers of the conference shared personal experience from multinational operations in crisis regions, analysed the creation and development of armed forces in the Baltic countries, provided a forecast for the future of small countries’ defence and awaiting challenges, discussed the conditions for retaining democracies.
At the same time, attention was drawn to the efforts of the international community in the Baltic region, and development of cooperation of defence experts from NATO member states at national and international levels.
Organisers of the conference, experts of the Research Centre and other divisions of the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, seek to make the conference a continuing high-level project that would have a weighty and significant input into defence policy planning.
The conference took place on March 20-22 in the framework of Vilnius Security Forum marking the 70th NATO anniversary and the 15th anniversary of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as members of NATO.
As Lithuania celebrates the 15th anniversary of its NATO membership, the Lithuanian Air Force is holding the already traditional and unique running event of a military runway at the Lithuanian Air Force Base – Runway Run 2019.
On April 6 everyone, including families – from the youngest members to seniors, sports professionals and fans alike, are invited to take on the distance of 3 thousand metres – it does not matter, whether walking or running. The young participants may participate on roller-skates, scooters, or in strollers. Pets may trot along as long as under supervision, all together, and in the same direction.
Organisations, sports clubs , educational institutions, representatives of Šiauliai municipality and jogging lovers will take part in Runway Run 2019 along with Lithuanian and allied soldiers.
Participants of the event will be able to see military aircraft of the Lithuanian Air Force, F-16 fighter aircraft of the Polish Air Force’s rotation of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states, weaponry, equipment and military vehicles used by Lithuanian and NATO allies’ soldiers, and ask questions about the Continuous Mandatory Initial Military Service. Also, the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces will be presenting a static display of their weaponry and vehicles for the first time.
Every registered participant who finishes the distance will receive a unique souvenir of Lithuanian Air Force Runway Run 2019 and will be treated to military style tea. When the run is finished, ambassador of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Gabrielius Liaudanskas-Svaras and G&G Sindikatas band will give a concert.
Runway Run is a unique and only run in Lithuania of this kind, organised on the runway normally used by military aircraft of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and fighter jets of the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission.
More about the events for Lithuania’s NATO anniversary
Photos: courtesy of the Military Academy of Lithuania
