Published: 20230712
The NATO Summit, held in Vilnius on July 11–12, was one of the most important and greatest events in Lithuania’s history. Critical decisions were communicated at the Summit regarding the Alliance’s security and more wide-scale obligations.
On the first evening of the Summit, following an intense day of meetings around six hundred NATO member country heads of state and guests from other delegations arrived at the Grand Courtyard of the Palace of the Grand Dukes. This was the venue for a grand reception initiated by Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis and Minister of Defence Arvydas Anušauskas, organised for participants of the NATO Summit.
Some guests wished to see the expositions of the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Among those who visited the museum were Poland’s Minister of Defence Mariusz Blaszczak, Lithuania’s Minister of Culture Simonas Kairys, the Chief of Defence of the Republic of Lithuania Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys, the Ambassador of Poland in Lithuania Prince Konstanty Radziwiłł, NATO military leaders, Lithuania’s ambassador to NATO Deividas Matulionis, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Vilnius Gintaras Grušas, the Commander of the State Border Guard Service General Rustamas Liubajevas, the Lithuanian Prime Minister’s adviser Kęstutis Lančinskas, other high-ranking military leaders of Lithuania, Poland and other European states and diplomats.
Some participants of the NATO Summit expressed their gratitude for the evening and left their comments in the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania Visitors’ Book. The first to do so was Ukraine’s Minister of Defence Oleksiy Reznikov: “Thank you Vilnius! Thank you to the brotherly Lithuanian nation! Together – to our victory!”
Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock left her thank you message to Lithuania too: “Nowhere else in Europe can you feel hearts beating for Ukraine more than in Lithuania. Thank you for making our hearts beat in time to your rhythm for Ukraine, for peace. All for one, and one for all, not just during this historic NATO Summit in Vilnius, but for all of Europe’s future with peace, freedom and democracy”.
Lithuania’s Speaker of the Parliament Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė also thanked the Palace of the Grand Dukes for such a splendid evening.
A special Lithuanian history programme organised for the spouses of Summit participants
First Lady of Lithuania Diana Nausėdienė organised a special programme for the spouses of heads of state visiting Lithuania for the NATO Summit. As the First Lady stated, “a separate programme for the wives of NATO member leaders in Vilnius is an excellent opportunity to acquaint our visitors and guests with Lithuania, its capital, the history and culture of this country, and to reveal the identity of our nation”.
On the second day of the NATO Summit, Wednesday, Alliance leaders’ spouses were invited to a specially organised programme held at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania that acquainted them with the origins of Lithuania’s statehood – the reconstructed residence of the Lithuanian grand dukes, its most important authentic exhibits and historic phenomena of the 13th to the 18th centuries.
The excursion was hosted by the President’s Chief Adviser, Head of the Education, Science and Culture Group Dr Jolanta Karpavičienė and National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania guide Dr Povilas Dikavičius. The excursion took place to the sounds of early music, and the special guests were shown a video about how the borders of the Lithuanian state have changed over the centuries.
“The participation of spouses at the NATO Summit in Vilnius is evidence of the Alliance’s ''soft power'', which has become an important part of friendship and cooperation between member countries”, – highlighted First Lady Diana Nausėdienė.
Photographs courtesy of the Lithuanian Government and the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.
