At noon on July 6 national flag hoisting ceremony will be held in Simonas Daukantas’ Square in Vilnius. Musical highlights of the events will be delivered by the Lithuanian Armed Forces Band,the Honour Guard Company in 14th century uniforms and weaponry will give a memorable performance along with traditional military ceremonies and parading. The Honour Guard Company will perform to the tunes of the National Eurovision Contest winner song “On Fire” by The Roop which will be played by the Lithuanian Armed Forces Band.
Fighter aircraft currently conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states will fly over the participants of the celebration to congratulate them on the day of the coronation of Lithuania’s only king, which will be the culmination of the event. The NATO mission is currently conducted by a Spanish Air Force Detachment with six F-18 Hornet fighter aircraft, and augmented by the British Royal Air Force Detachment with three Eurofighter Typhoons. The mission is enhanced from Estonia by the French Air Force Detachment with four Mirage 2000. There is the total of 13 fighter aircraft currently guarding the Baltic skies.
King Mindaugas was the unifier of the Lithuanian people, accepted Western christening and the crown from the Holy See, that way shaping the westward civilizational orientation of Lithuania which was later consolidated by Vytautas and Jogaila with an overall christening in the end of the 14th century. Lithuania marks three days of state: February 16 and March 11 are the dates on which Lithuania’s statehood was re-established. However, the 6th of July is the basis to claim that our state was established in the 13th century. We have carried on with this tradition of statehood guided by Western values until this day.
The viewers are invited to stay cautious and take care of one another according to the health safety precautions issued by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania.
Photo credits: Alfredas Pliadis (MoD archive)
