16 February is a significant day for Lithuania. In 1918, on this day, the Lithuanian Council declared the intention to “re-establish the independent and based on democratic principles Lithuanian state”.
11 March marks a very significant step in the history of our country. In the year 1990, on this day, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania signed the Act on the Re-establishment of the Independent State of Lithuania. The act stipulates that the execution of the sovereign powers of the State of Lithuania, abolished by foreign forces in 1940, is re-established, and henceforth Lithuania is again an independent state. The act is based on the Act of Reinstating Independence of Lithuania, which was signed on 16 February 1918 and has never lost its legal force.
We invite you to mark these Lithuanian statehood days by looking at the most significant documents of the Lithuanian writing. From 15 February to 10 March, the Library will hold an exhibition showing autographs and books of the most distinguished Lithuanian writers – the most valuable heritage of the Lithuanian writing that is kept at Vilnius University Library. More on the exhibition in here.
Illustration: The first version of Maironis's poem "Dear Lithuania", 1888. The link to manuscript: here.
2023-02-15