Residents of Panevėžys and city guests are invited not only to remember one of the most important moments in Lithuania’s freedom history but also to reflect together on its meaning today – the event program includes an exhibition, a forum-discussion, a documentary film screening, and a holy mass, motorcycle riders’ send-off, and the reception of participants of the international relay run “Baltic Way.” All events are free of charge.
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“37 years have passed, but the image of the Baltic Way remains one of the strongest symbols of our freedom history. On that day, people did not need weapons or big words – it was enough to hold hands and show how much unity and a common goal can achieve. Today, the Baltic Way reminds us not only of an important historical moment but also of how precious freedom is and how much effort from people was needed to have it. I invite you to meet at the events taking place in Panevėžys these days – to remember, talk, and be together,” says Loreta Masiliūnienė, Mayor of Panevėžys.
August 23 connects two important experiences in European history. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed in 1939 and its secret protocols determined the occupation of the Baltic countries and the painful consequences of totalitarian regimes. Fifty years later, on August 23, 1989, about two million people from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined hands in the Baltic Way – a living chain from Vilnius through Riga to Tallinn – and peacefully declared their determination to restore independence.
Baltic Way Anniversary Events in Panevėžys
August 20 at 2 p.m. The traditional gladiolus exhibition “Flower for the Baltic Way” will open at the Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library of Panevėžys County.
August 21 from 10 a.m. The Baltic Way forum-discussion “Unpredictable world: power, values, and new global narratives” will be held at the Panevėžys Regional Museum. Presentations and discussions will be led by Prof. Dr. Povilas Aleksandravičius, Prof. Dr. Tomas Janeliūnas, Dr. Ieva Koreivaitė, Member of the Lithuanian Parliament Matas Maldeikis, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mažvydas Jastramskis, and former Lithuanian Armed Forces commander, retired Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas.
August 21 at 5:15 p.m. At Freedom Square, near the Panevėžys City Municipality, participants of the 16th cultural Lithuanian discovery rally “Ryterna Modul Mototourism Rally” will be sent off. Motorcyclists from the Panevėžys region are invited to represent their region and carry its flag across Lithuania. Participants of the rally taking place on August 22 will visit sites related to Lithuanian history, culture, and regional development, complete tasks set by the organizers, and finish the journey in the center of Kaunas. Information and registration here.
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August 21 at 6 p.m. Participants of the XXXV traditional international relay run “Baltic Way” will be welcomed near the Panevėžys City Municipality, accompanied through the city by athletes from the Panevėžys Running Club.
From August 21 to 24, 38 athletes from Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia will run the route Vilnius–Riga–Tallinn. Among them is 82-year-old Panevėžys resident Romas Jasinskas, joining this relay for the eighteenth time. The runners will start at 10 a.m. on August 21 at Vilnius Cathedral Square and plan to finish at noon on August 24 in the courtyard of the Estonian Parliament in Tallinn.
August 21 at 8:30 p.m. The documentary film “Dust, Bones, and Miracles” by Aistė Žegulytė (Lithuania, France, Latvia, 2025) will be shown at the Senvagė Amphitheater.
August 23 at 10:30 a.m. A holy mass for Lithuania and its people will be held at the Christ the King Cathedral in Panevėžys.
The Panevėžys City Municipality invites residents and city guests to participate in the events, honor the victims of totalitarian regimes, and remember the unity, courage, and pursuit of freedom of the Baltic Way people.
