Day 19. The Day of Restoration of Lithuania's Independence. February 16. Part I.

February 16 - it's a great day for Lithuania and for all Lithuanians around the world.
It is one of 3 most important days in the year.
And 16 February 1918 - is one of three or four most important dates in the history of Lithuania.
February 16  - it's The Day of Restoration of Lithuania's Independence.
All residents and visitors of Vilnius were offered to choose something from abundance of activities from the social project Geltona žalia raudona.

The Commemoration began at 8:30 a.m. with laying flowers on the tombs the Signatories of the Act of Independence at the Rasos cementry.
At noon the City Centre was stuck with hundreds of celebrating people and the traffic jam was incredible. All people were going to the Simonas Daukantas Square where at noon the Ceremony of Raising of the flags of the three Baltic States took place and the President Dalia Grybauskaitė gave her speech. Two NATO fighter jets (aircrafts) flew over the square.

I began my celebrating with a free walking tour which I signed to on Geltona zalia raudona.
It began also at noon and was called: Famous personalities that were living in Vilnius (desprition of the tour comes in the next post:the Day of Independence. Part II). The walking tour lasted for 1 hoour and 40 minutes.

Then I joined the Commemoration of Restoration of Lithuania's Independence in the front of the House of the Signatories which began at 2 p.m.

Hundreds of people have gathered there.

The actor Rimantas Bagdzevičius read the Act of the Independence from the balcony of the House of the Signatories.

Also, Mr. Vytautas Landsbergis gave his speech.

Lateron, I went to the Ceremony of Commemoration of the Lithuanian Partisans Declaration of February 16, 1949 and laying flowers near the monument of Jonas Žemaitis on the square in the front of the Ministry of the National Defence.

Of course, on that day, all people could choose from far more activities that were listed on Geltona zalia raudona. The celebration were closed with the grand concert at 8:30 p.m. on the Cathedral square. 

And finally, one more thing: even Google greeted Lithuania with February 16!!!

And Lithuanians each year are more and more happy with February 16.