Events of the Day of Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews in Šiauliai culminated in a literary-musical premiere and a one-day exhibition

On March 15–16, 2026, events dedicated to the Day of Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews took place in Šiauliai. On March 15, a solemn commemoration was held at the Righteous Among the Nations Square, and the following day the public was invited to the “Laiptai” Gallery of the Šiauliai Cultural Center, where an exhibition dedicated to the memory of children murdered during the Holocaust was presented, along with the literary-musical evening “Song of Memory.” The two-day remembrance program brought together the city’s community, history enthusiasts, cultural representatives, and youth to honor those who, during World War II, risked their lives to save Jewish people.
Organizer – Šiauliai Cultural Center. Partners – Jewish Community of Šiauliai County, Jewish Community of the Šiauliai Region. Friends – Šiauliai Gegužiai Progymnasium, Šiauliai “Saulėtekis” Gymnasium.

The Day of Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews was added to the list of commemorative days at the end of 2022 by decision of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. March 15 was chosen deliberately – on this day in 1966, the Yad Vashem Institute in Israel awarded Vilnius University librarian Ona Šimaitė the title of Righteous Among the Nations for her courage in rescuing Jews during the years of Nazi occupation.

On the occasion of this commemorative day, on March 15, a traditional solemn commemoration honoring the Rescuers of Lithuanian Jews was held in Šiauliai at the Righteous Among the Nations Square. Those gathered were addressed by the Chairwoman of the Jewish Community of Šiauliai County Rašella Galinienė, community member Kamilė Šeraitė-Gogelienė, former Member of the Seimas Stasys Tumėnas, and other participants of the event. During the commemoration, Member of the Seimas Ingrida Šimonytė and students of Šiauliai schools read aloud the names of the Righteous Among the Nations, flowers were laid at the monument bearing their names, memorial candles were lit, and the rescuers were honored with a moment of silence.

The second day of the commemoration, March 16, moved to the “Laiptai” Gallery of the Šiauliai Cultural Center, where the premiere literary-musical program “Song of Memory,” previously unheard anywhere else, was presented. The program was inspired by the works of the prominent Lithuanian writer and humanist, National Prize laureate Grigorijus Kanovičius.

Based on the work “A Song for Vilnius,” a sensitive artistic composition was created about the fate of the city, lost and surviving voices, the coexistence of cultures, and the spiritual light that endures despite the trials of history. The program was performed by violinist Dalia Dėdinskaitė, cellist Gleb Pyšniak, and actor Giedrius Arbačiauskas.

During the event, visitors were also introduced to the “Butterfly Project” implemented by Šiauliai Gegužiai Progymnasium and Šiauliai “Saulėtekis” Gymnasium, and a one-day exhibition dedicated to the memory of children murdered during the Holocaust was presented.

The “Butterfly Project” is an international initiative established in 2006, joined by more than 200 communities worldwide. Šiauliai Gegužiai Progymnasium and Šiauliai “Saulėtekis” Gymnasium are the pioneers of this project in Lithuania. Its essence is to symbolically commemorate approximately 1.5 million children and young people murdered during the Holocaust by dedicating a ceramic butterfly to each of them.

Students from these schools managed to collect biographies of 36 children who perished during the Holocaust in Šiauliai. Later, ceramic butterflies were created to represent each child’s story. All of them were placed into a collective artwork bearing the names and surnames, thus honoring their memory.

“A Jewish proverb says that a person is forgotten only when their name is forgotten. The ‘Butterfly Project’ revives their stories,” said religion teachers Elvyra Ramoškienė and Karolina Dambrauskaitė while presenting the project.

The commemorative events held in Šiauliai once again reminded of a history in which, alongside tragedy and loss, there were also people who chose to risk their lives for others. Such gatherings and cultural initiatives help preserve living historical memory, foster respect for human beings, and encourage passing this responsibility on to future generations.

More photos can be found on the “Laiptai” Gallery Facebook account:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=LaiptuGalerija&set=a.1628325612252120

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1627079305710084&type=3

Photo by Liubov Yarmoshenko.

Information provided by Kristina Alseikė, event organizer of the Exhibition Department of the Šiauliai Cultural Center, tel. +370 658 80 507, email kristina.alseike@siauliukc.lt.