The Event Series Dedicated to Queen Morta Comes to an End in Rėkyva

From July 6 to 12, 2025, a series of events titled “Lithuanian Identity and Resilience. Queen Morta: A Historical Portrait or a Forgotten Symbol of Identity?” took place at the Rėkyva Cultural House of the Šiauliai Cultural Center. This initiative brought the community together in a lively cultural dialogue, inviting a fresh perspective on Lithuania's first and only queen and exploring the connection between past and present values. The Rėkyva Cultural House once again proved to be a vibrant cultural hub – a place where people, traditions, and meaningful conversations about what unites us meet.
Organized by the Šiauliai Cultural Center. Funded by the Ministry of Culture.

From July 6, Rėkyva hosted various activities: creative-educational workshops for families, discussions with distinguished guests, and musical evenings with renowned performers. On July 6, families participated in the “Queen Morta’s Crown” workshops, and in the evening, they enjoyed the heartfelt concert by Jurga Andriulienė, which culminated in the collective singing of the National Anthem.

On July 12, an inspiring discussion afternoon took place, with public figure, volunteer soldier, and extreme travel enthusiast Aurimas Mockus speaking on “Inner Resilience: From Queen Morta to Today’s People.” His personal story became a powerful example of how to stay strong in the most difficult circumstances. Actor Giedrius Savickas shared insights in his talk “History on Stage: How the Past Shapes Our Identity” about how creative work can help maintain a connection to historical roots and nurture national consciousness. The discussion was hosted by Giedrė Brazlauskaitė.

The evening was crowned by a sincere concert by opera soloist and singer-songwriter Dainotas Varnas. His concert program was a sensitive and meaningful musical journey, blending Lithuanian lyrics, classical music motifs, and contemporary emotions. Each piece was like a story about the human soul, national identity, and universal feelings that connect the past with the present.

The organizers hope that the event series not only revived the forgotten image of Queen Morta but also provided an opportunity to reassess Lithuanian identity, cultural resilience, and historical memory.

For more information, please contact Viktorija Mališauskaitė, Head of the Rėkyva Branch, Šiauliai Cultural Center. Phone: +370 632 59 279, Email: viktorija.malisauskaite@siauliukc.lt.

Photos by Liubov Yarmoshenko and Rolandas Parafinavičius