Day of Freedom Fighters – January 13

Civic initiative „Memory is alive because it proclaims” commemorates Freedom Defenders’ Day – January 13th

In the morning of January 13th – Day of Freedom Defenders, Lithuanian general education schools, educational institutions and other institutions are invited to join the civic initiative “Memory is alive because it proclaims”: Unity and memory candles are lit for ten minutes in the morning at 8:00. This initiative seeks to recall the events of January 1991, to pay tribute to the victims and the casualties and, at the same time, to be proud of the civil victory over the aggressor.

In 1991, Lithuania was not a member of NATO and the EU, the occupying Soviet army was still domiciled in Lithuania, but a united and freedom-seeking nation defended its independence in those days and opposed the aggressor.

The International Commission has been organizing the civic initiative every year since 2008. Every year, the initiative is being supported by an increasing number of education institutions and other institutions. President of the Republic of Lithuanian Dalia Grybauskaitė has been patronizing the initiative “Memory is alive because it proclaims” since 2014.