Kaunas marks Ukraine’s Independence Day: procession, wreaths and a concert at the War Museum

On 24 August, Monday, Kaunas will mark Ukraine’s Independence Day – 35 years since the country declared independence from a collapsing Soviet Union in 1991. The commemoration opens at midday by the memorial plaque to Colonel Yevhen Konovalets on Laisvės alėja and closes with a concert at the Vytautas the Great War Museum. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.

The date is no coincidence. Exactly 35 years ago, on 24 August 1991, a group of Ukrainian deputies carried the historic blue-and-yellow flag into the hall of the Verkhovna Rada, and Ukraine declared independence that same day; the flag itself first flew over the Rada building on 4 September and is still kept in the parliament today. The day before, on 23 August, Ukraine marks its State Flag Day – the two dates fall back to back every year. Lithuania recognised Ukraine’s independence on 4 December that same year, and the two countries established diplomatic relations on 12 December – so this is also the 35th anniversary of that friendship.

The programme:

• 11:55–12:00 – Marches by the Lithuanian Armed Forces Air Force orchestra (Laisvės al. 34, Kaunas)
• 12:00 – Ceremonial formation of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union and flowers laid at the memorial plaque to Colonel Yevhen Konovalets (1891–1938); remarks by Stasys Ignatavičius, president of the Vladas Putvinskis-Pūtvis Club
• 12:15 – Procession with Lithuanian and Ukrainian flags to the War Museum garden
• 12:30 – Flowers laid at the Freedom Monument and the Unknown Soldier’s grave, by cadets of the General Povilas Plechavičius Cadet Lyceum
• 12:45 – Formal commemoration at the Vytautas the Great War Museum (K. Donelaičio g. 64): the Lithuanian and Ukrainian anthems sung by the ensemble “Žaibas”, a prayer for fallen defenders of freedom by Father Vitalijus Mockus, a minute of silence; remarks by museum director Rita Malinauskienė and Andriy Buryak, deputy of the Ukrainian ambassador to Lithuania
• 13:00–14:00 – Concert: the Ukrainian ensemble “Malvos” (led by Natalija Myronets), with soloists Olena Slepcova, Ihor Danyleiko and Dalia Tarailienė

The event is organised by the Vytautas the Great War Museum, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union in Exile, the “Visi išvien” charity fund and the NGO “Ukraine’s Heart” (Ukrainos širdis), with support from UAB “Liningas” and Member of the European Parliament Aurelijus Veryga.

We’re proud to be one of the organisers. Every day we work with Ukraine directly – sending vehicles, trench candles and humanitarian aid – so this hour on Laisvės alėja is our chance to stand with the rest of the city and say it plainly: Ukraine is not forgotten, and Lithuania stands beside it.

More information: on the Vytautas the Great War Museum website.