Herdenking slachtoffers van totalitaire regimes in Vilnius (en)

Lithuania will continue the tradition introduced by the Polish presidency i of the EU in Warsaw in 2011 and, on this occasion, will organise the commemoration of the victims of totalitarian regimes in Europe on 23 August 2013 in Vilnius.

The event is held by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Justice as well as the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania. Its main objective is to raise awareness on the crimes of the totalitarian regimes in Europe. The commemoration in Vilnius will be mainly oriented towards the European youth to raise young people's awareness on the European common values, to make them more familiar with the European historical memory.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Algirdas Butkevičius, together with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice Linas Linkevičius and Juozas Bernatonis will welcome the participants. The ministers of Justice from other EU member states, Members of the European Parliament Vytautas Landsbergis i and Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė i were also invited.

The commemorative events will begin in the eve of the European day of Remembrance with the Candle lighting ceremony near the Museum of Genocide on 22 August 2013, 20:00-21:00. On 23 August 2013, the Conference will be held in The Memorial Complex of Tuskulėnai Peace Park, 9:00-13:00, including the opening of the exhibition „Totalitarianism in Europe“. Programme will conclude the bus trip for European youth, visiting the places of exile and resistance not only in Vilnius, but also in Paneriai memorial, resistance fighters‘ bunker in Kasčiūnai near Druskininkai, the Hill of crosses in Merkinė village, as well as Grūtas Park of soviet relics.

In 2012, the commemoration events were organised by Hungary.