- November 7, 2012
- 259
The celebration of November 11 in Vilnius
In Vilnius, celebrations of the Polish Independence Day started a few days before the actual date. The Independence was celebrated in various ways: through patriotism, concerts and sports.
On November 9, there was a unique re-premiere of the first film adaptation of Polish national epic – the silent film “Pan Tadeusz” (1928) – in the House of Polish Culture in Vilnius. The screening took place in Vilnius and in Warsaw in the Illusion cinema – the Film Art Museum. Viewers of the two screenings could communicate via satellite communication. The date of the premiere was symbolic – the real premiere of “Pan Tadeusz” took place 84 years ago, on November 9, 1928, in Warsaw. At that time, the film was announced to be a blockbuster filmed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Polish independence. It was extremely popular. For years, it was considered to be lost and, when it was accidentally found, it was carefully reconstructed by the professionals from the National Film Archive. Therefore, the Vilnius audience had a rare opportunity to see a historic production.
On November 9 in Cultural Centre in Salcininkai was held a concert of the band “Zdarta Płyta”, which started at 4 pm.
On 10-11 November took place the 18th Relay Race of Independence Zalavas-Rasos entitled “Legion Cemeteries Route 1919-1920”. Participants had a long way to go – 155 kilometres from Ignalina Dūkštas through Zalavas to Rasos. The Relay Race of Independence is organized annually by the scouts of the Vilnius Scout Troop of St. Mary Lady of the Gate of Dawn.
Motorcyclists of the 2nd Motorcycle Rally “Bright and Independent” will set off accompanied by the scouts. According to the participants of the rally, they start “remembering the difficult times, the bloody struggle for Polish independence and the fate of the people who sacrificed their lives for Poland existing not only in hearts and minds of people but as a sovereign state; wishing to honour the memory of people who died for the freedom of their homeland and commemorate the Polish Renaissance and the 100th anniversary of Scouting in Vilnius”.
The main Independence Day celebrations were held on Sunday, November 11, at the Rasos Cemetery. Representatives of the Polish diplomatic and consular service in Vilnius, together with the delegations of Polish social organizations, laid flowers at the mausoleum “Matka i serce syna” (“A mother and the heart of her son”).
On November 11, however, at 4 pm in the House of Polish Culture in Vilnius was a concert performed by Suwalki Polish Chamber Orchestra “Camerata dell’ Arte”.
Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/artykul/obchody-11-listopada-w-wilnie
Tłumaczenie Ewelina Zarembska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Ewelina Zarembska the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.
