On April 24–25, the events of awarding the laureates of the national competition for pupils „History of Lithuania’s Fights for Freedom and Losses“ were held.

The programme started with the excursion in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Later the Vice-Chairman of the Seimas Algis Kašėta had a meeting and communicated with pupils and their teachers, responded to the questions of the pupils. After addressing the participants of the event, he presented the laureates of the essays with his own book prepared for print “The Diary of Lionginas Baliukevičius – Partizan Dzūkas”. Having expressed gratitude for the meeting, all the participants went to the Museum of Genocide Victims. After lunch, pupils and their teachers accompanied by the guide visited the most important sites in the Vilnius Old Town.

Towards the evening, the competition laureates, their teachers and guests gathered in the parlour of Vilnius Teachers’ House, where the awarding of laureates took place. The laureates of the competition were greeted by Vytas Lukšys, Acting Director General of the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania, member of the Seimas Auksutė Ramanauskaitė-Skokauskienė, Colonel Arūnas Dudavičius, Deputy Head of the Military Enrolment Administration Service under the Ministry of National Defense, and Algminas Pakalniškis, Chief Specialist of Children and Youth Socialization Department of the Ministry of Education and Science. The performer Jonas Čepulis conducted the event and performed his songs to the participants, the laureates of the part of songs also took part in a concert. Diplomas and certificates of merit were awarded to teachers who prepared the laureates for this competition, as well as keepsakes by competition partners and sponsors.

On the next day an educational tour was organized for pupils and their teachers in the Presidential Office of the Republic of Lithuania.

Our gratitude to competition partners, sponsors and all contributors to the organization of this successful event. We congratulate all participants of the competition and laureates, wishing them further creativity and unfading interest in the history of Lithuania. We are waiting for your works in other competitions that we will organize in the future.

Competition organizer

Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania

Competition partners:

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania

Public Institution Centre of Culture and Education „Vilnius Teachers’ House“

Vilnius Secondary School „Lithuanian Home“

State Civil Resistance Preparation Centre under the Ministry of National Defense

Military Enrolment Administration Service under the Ministry of National Defense

Competition sponsors:

Public Institution Centre of Tourism Information in Vilnius

Restaurant „Ida Basar“

„ISIC Lithuania“ – a representative of international student identity cards

Publishing House „Tyto alba“

UAB „Dizaino studija“

Newspaper „Valstiečių laikraštis“

Magazine „Vyzdys“

Magazine „Ateitis“

Magazine „Trimitas“

Dalia Kuodytė, member of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

• Laureates of third and encouragement prizes and their teachers, laureates and their teachers who could not come to the event of awarding, may take their diplomas, certificates of merit and prizes at the Museum of Genocide Victims. Also we award them with a tour in the Museum of Genocide Victims.
• The book of essays „The Secret of Freedom is Courage“ of the 2006-2007 - 2007-2008 competition „History of Lithuania’s Fights for Freedom and Losses“. That book is presented to the authors of drawings, , authors of essays, their schools and teachers who prepared them for the competition. They are also awarded with a tour in the Museum of Genocide Victims.

Information is available in the Museum of Genocide Victims (Aukų Str. 2a, Vilnius) by phone 8 5 249 62 64 on Wednesays – Sundays – 10:00-17:00.

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