From the Baltic Way to the “Avenue of Thoughts on Freedom” – Šiauliai Will Commemorate the History of Freedom

On 23 August 2026, Šiauliai will commemorate a historical date important to Lithuania and all the Baltic States. The “Path of Freedom” event series will invite residents and visitors to experience the power of unity and togetherness and to reflect on what connects us. A solemn procession, music, artistic initiatives and other events will serve as a meaningful reminder of people coming together, our shared history and the importance of protecting what has been achieved.
Presented by Šiauliai City Municipality. Organised by Šiauliai Culture Centre. Events are free of charge.

The Baltic Way is one of the most powerful symbols of the pursuit of freedom and the unity of the Baltic nations. On 23 August 1989, around two million people joined hands to form a human chain stretching across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. This peaceful yet determined action became an important step on the Baltic States’ path towards independence and continues to remind us of the power of people coming together and sharing a common belief in freedom.

“Baltic Way Day reminds us not only of one of the most significant events in Lithuanian history. It is a day when we can once again feel the strength that comes from togetherness and how important it is to protect what has been achieved. Today we live in a free Lithuania, but the history of freedom is not only the past – we create and safeguard it every day. I invite everyone to come together on this day, to remember and rediscover the meaning of freedom,” says Daina Kinčinaitienė, Head of the Culture Division of Šiauliai City Municipality Administration.

The commemoration on 23 August will begin at 12 p.m. with Holy Mass at the Cathedral of St Apostles Peter and Paul. Afterwards, at 12.45 p.m., participants will be invited to join a solemn commemorative procession with the flags of the Baltic States. The procession will proceed from the cathedral to the Sundial Square, where the concert programme “Songs That Were Never Written Down” will begin at 1 p.m.

Performer Raminta Naujanytė-Bjelle and the Lithuanian Symphonic Wind Orchestra, led by Artistic Director Prof. Dr Antanas Kučinskas, will take the stage. The concert will be conducted by Maestro Karolis Variakojis. On this special day, music will become a bridge between different generations and remind us of what remains alive not only in historical narratives, but also in people’s memory.

In the evening, at 7 p.m., an exhibition of works created during the international sculpture creative workshop “Baltic Nights” will open in the historic Bugailiškis apple orchard of the Šiauliai Culture Centre Gallery “Laiptai”. The event will be complemented by a concert of original music by Antanas Jasenka, while the garden, bearing witness to the history of the Bugailiškis family, will become a space where sculpture, music and local memory come together.

From 24 August to 13 September, the artistic initiative “Avenue of Thoughts on Freedom” will take place in Kaštonų Avenue. This contemporary public installation will invite visitors to look at freedom through the eyes of the younger generation. Short reflections, graphic accents and interactive solutions will encourage people to stop, listen and consider what it means to be free today – while also inviting them to take a selfie.

The event series will also be complemented by other initiatives fostering historical memory and civic awareness. From 18 to 30 August, the literary exhibition “Freedom Joined by Hands” will be displayed at the Children’s Literature Department of Šiauliai City Municipality Public Library. On 21 August, the Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum’s Museum of History will host an event dedicated to Black Ribbon Day as part of the exhibition “Stories from the Deportation Wagon”, while visitors to Zubovai Park will be invited to the event “The Baltic Way. An Unbroken Connection”, featuring educational activities, challenges, orienteering, artistic and other activities.

The full programme of events can be found on the websites of Šiauliai City Municipality (www.siauliai.lt) and Šiauliai Culture Centre (www.siauliukc.lt).

Photos by R. Parafinavičius and D. Matvejev.

Information is provided by Audronė Jaškinienė, Event Organiser at the Events Organisation Department of Šiauliai Culture Centre, tel. +370 678 46 145, e-mail audrone.jaskiniene@siauliukc.lt.