M. Mackiewicz: The march was a beautiful Polish holiday in Vilnius

According to Michał Mackiewicz, the head of the Association of Poles in Lithuania and the organizer of Saturday march in Lithuania, about 10 thousand people took part in it. Polish colourful procession set off at 11 a.m. from the Lithuanian Seimas, marched through the main streets of Vilnius: Gediminas Avenue, Vilnius Street, German Street, through Ratuszowy  square and Ostrobramska Street. The march lasted for about an hour and ended with a service in front of the chapel of Our Lady of the Gate of Dawn. This is how the Lithuanian Poles celebrated Polish Flag Day, May 3rd Constitution Day and most of all Polonia and Poles Abroad Day.

Not only Poles from the Vilnius region gathered on the march in Vilnius, but also from Turmantas, Kėdainiai, Kaunas and Vandžiogala, in total from 11 branches of the Association of Poles in Lithuania. The majority of organizations in the Vilnius Region, schoolchildren and teachers from nearby schools, scouts and employees of local governments participated in the march. There were many families with children and groups of friends. On this day Vilnius played host to many guests from Poland too (after all, there is so called long weekend in Poland), and even from the United States, including Andrzej Kamiński, the vice-president of the New York Division of the Polish American Congress.

The march was organized after a three-year break. As chairman Michał Mackiewicz assures, in the future, the Association of Poles in Lithuania will make efforts to organize Polish marches every year. “Today we have a beautiful holiday, they must be organized in Vilnius on a regular basis. Such are the expectations of the dwellers of the Vilnius Region” – assured M. Mackiewicz.

Listen to the statement of chairman Mickiewicz, recorded just after the Polish march and the service in the gate of Dawn had finished.

A thorough video report from the Polish march is in the pipeline.

Photos: Jan Wierbiel

Montage: Paweł Dąbrowski

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/tresc/m-mackiewicz-pochod-byl-pieknym-polskim-swietem-w-wilnie

Tłumaczenie Barbara Rożek w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Barbara Rożek within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.