The date of the march was chosen deliberately. In August, Lithuania commemorates the anniversary of the Baltic Way, and Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day. On August 23, 1989, more than two million people from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined hands in a living chain, demanding freedom and independence. Decades later, Ukraine is paying the price of this freedom in war.
That is why this year the symbolism of the Baltic Way and Ukraine’s Independence Day met in one place – people did not stand holding hands, but walked one path. For Your and our freedom.
1,064 people purchased tickets for the march. Together they covered 11,076 kilometers, and 20,713 euros were raised for Ukraine: 19,713 euros came from ticket sales, and an additional 1,000 euros were donated by people on the day of the event.
On one route – those who already fought for freedom and those who fight today
The march included people who themselves stood on the Baltic Way 37 years ago. Among them were those for whom freedom is not a concept from a history textbook, but a personal experience.
The oldest participant of the march, Daumantas, is 81 years old. He participated in the march together with people from several generations – from those who stood on the Baltic Way in 1989 to Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes due to the war started by Russia. Daumantas’s participation became one of the highlights of the event, showing that support for Ukraine and the theme of freedom unites people regardless of their age, and the fight for freedom lasts a lifetime.
Ukrainians who came to Lithuania because of the war also marched together. For some of them, Lithuania has become home today, but their relatives, friends, and comrades remain in Ukraine. They know well what it means to be at home one day and forced to leave it the next.
Rain and storm did not stop the freedom celebration
On the day of the event, there was no shortage of rain in Lithuania, and during the march participants were met with strong wind and a storm, but this did not stop people or spoil the festive mood. On the contrary – the weather became another symbol, reminding that one can face discomfort for an important cause.
“This march was very important to us because we wanted to connect two stories of freedom. People stood on the Baltic Way 37 years ago for the right to be free. Today, the people of Ukraine are fighting for the same right with their lives. We wanted these stories to meet here, in Vilnius,” says Aldėja Kuralavičiūtė, director of the charity and support fund “Angels of Light.”
According to her, the weather on the day of the march only strengthened the message of the event.
“There was rain, wind, and a storm. But people walked. Celebrating freedom is not difficult when no one is shooting at you for it, but the discomfort caused by the weather that day allowed at least for a moment to remember the price Ukrainians pay for their freedom today. Therefore, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who marched, bought tickets, or donated additionally. Your support is not symbolic – it turns into concrete things for people who are on the front today,” says A. Kuralavičiūtė.
They brought their Ukraine to the march
Ukrainian volunteers, who have been volunteering with “Angels of Light” for five years of war, also contributed to the event’s implementation. During the event, they taught marchers how to weave camouflage nets. This way, participants could not only donate but also contribute with their own hands to concrete aid.
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Other Ukrainians cooked traditional Ukrainian porridge – porridge that was made at home at the beginning of the war in Ukraine for soldiers defending their country. Food, music, people, and the work of volunteers became a living reminder that Ukraine is not just a point on the map or a headline in war news. It is people, their homes, culture, and life they want to preserve.
Support that travels directly from the march route to Ukraine
The march was not only about symbolism. 19,713 euros were raised from ticket sales, and on the day of the event, people donated an additional 1,000 euros. In total, nearly 21 thousand euros were raised for Ukraine.
These funds will be used for specific needs of soldiers and medics: vehicles, medical supplies, generators, communication equipment, Starlink, EcoFlow, and other tools needed by people working closest to the war.
This principle of aid is the foundation of “Angels of Light” work – not to collect support for the sake of support, but to receive specific needs from Ukrainian soldiers and medics and seek ways to fulfill them. The fund works with people who are today where help is needed most.
“We know very clearly who we are collecting support for. When we receive a request from Ukraine for a vehicle, generator, medical supplies, or communication equipment, we look for a way to deliver that item to specific people. Therefore, every march ticket and every euro donated that day has its continuation. People walked 6 or 18 kilometers here, and for someone in Ukraine, it will be easier to survive another day because of that,” says A. Kuralavičiūtė.
She emphasizes that the result of the march is not only the amount raised.
“I want to thank the marchers the most. For buying tickets. For not fearing the weather. For bringing families, friends, children. For weaving nets, listening to Ukrainian music, eating Ukrainian porridge, and being together. And most importantly – for not getting tired of Ukraine. The war continues, so our help must not stop,” says the fund director.
Today, as Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day, the story of the Baltic Way resonates especially loudly in Lithuania. 37 years ago, Lithuanians asked the world not to forget their pursuit of freedom. Today, Lithuania has the opportunity to respond in kind – to stand by Ukraine as it defends its own.
“Angels of Light” continues to invite contributions to specific aid for Ukrainian soldiers and medics. Because as long as lives are paid for freedom in Ukraine, our duty is not to get tired of helping. Let us donate not because the war is still ongoing. Let us donate because Ukraine must win.
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