The candles lighted on the Freedom Defenders Day symbolize the respect to the casualties, also the light of defended freedom, the victory of freedom ideas against the brutal force as well as the memory and concentration.
According to Mr. Ronaldas Račinskas, the Executive Director of the International Historical Commission, in our days the society cares more about the material problems and the new generation does not perceive properly the importance of the defended values such as the independence and freedom. “The country without the respect to its history and moral values is a week and frail county that cannot cope with the challenges. We hope that our civic action that is organized for the third time this year will shape the mature historical memory to our pupils”, - said the Executive Director of the International Historical Commission.
The civic action “The Memory is live, because it proclaims” took place for the third time this year. In 2008 about 100 secondary schools took part in this action that was held on January 11. Last year there were four times more schools, around 420 of them from all regions. And this year the number of schools even became twice bigger – 734 schools participated in the project. This is almost half of Lithuanian schools. It is expected next year this action will be maintained by the other institutions and people.
“The Memory is live, because it proclaims” became very popular between Lithuanian schools. Not only schools of main Lithuanian cities but also small towns’ schools’ communities showed their wish to join the action. Such an interest means that the commemoration is attractive to the schools and is an effective way to shape the historical memory of pupils.
The schools got the recommendations to introduce pupils to the facts of Sausio 13 by preparing for the action as well as at the commemoration and in the later lessons. Pupils shared the stories they heard with their classmates and teachers after the lessons. The goal was to encourage pupils to accept the Freedom Defenders Day‘s witnesses’ stories more sensitive and personal.
