Other events in Baltic States

Having declared the 2011 as the Year of Remembrance of Defence of Freedom and Great Losses and of the Victims of the Holocaust in Lithuania, the country seeks to establish a consensual view of the 70-year-old history in Europe, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Azubalis said, reported BC the press service of the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

 On 10 June at the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Minister acquainted heads of foreign diplomatic missions with the programme of the Year of Remembrance of Defence of Freedom and Great Losses and of the Victims of the Holocaust in Lithuania. "70 years ago Lithuania went through a difficult and very painful period. As a consequence, we have lost one-third of the nation and genocide, the Holocaust, was carried out on our soil. We are trying to remember these things after 70 years in order to evaluate them and to establish a consensual view of history. I believe that the platform of EU's historical memory, which is still being developed, is a great model and an excellent opportunity to achieve that at least the history would be one, undivided and commonly understood by all Europeans," the Minister said.

Foreign ambassadors were acquainted with the events to honour the victims that are planned this year, such as the unveiling of monuments, commemorations, meetings, the launch of publications, exhibitions and concerts, which will take place on the Day of Mourning and Hope, the Day of Occupation and Genocide and on other days to remember the tragic losses and resistance. "The commemorative events are organized so that all the citizens of Lithuania who became victims of the totalitarian regimes would be honoured despite of whatever background they came from," Chairman of the Committee on National Security and Defence of the Seimas (Parliament) Arvydas Anusauskas said at the presentation.

The Seimas has declared 2011 as the Year of Remembrance of Defence of Freedom and of Great Losses and the Victims of the Holocaust in Lithuania.

Lithuania and other member states of the European Union consistently aim to further evaluate crimes of the totalitarian regimes at the European level. In this context, educational activities and fostering of common memory are especially important.