On November 23 Lithuania celebrates Armed Forces Day. This year the 95th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces will be marked by celebrating holy masses, arranging military parades, military equipment expositions, decoration ceremonies, concerts, etc.
The celebratory military parade, the main traditional event of the date, will gather approx. 500 Lithuanian military from across all services - land, air, navy and special operations - in the Independence Square to march down the Gediminas avenue later.
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas and Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Arvydas Pocius will deliver their congratulations to Lithuanian military. The events will be attended by representatives of the Presidential Palace, the Government, the Parliament, cities and municipalities, foreign ambassadors in Lithuania, defence attaches, and the general public.
"Since the restoration of Lithuania's independence, a tremendous job has been done to re-establish the Lithuanian Armed Forces and to generate modern and contemporary structures, this job earned official recognition at international level when Lithuania became a full-fledged member of NATO", -Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas says.
This year a memorial plaque will be unveiled on the building of the General Staff of the Ministry of National Defence, Vilnius, where on November 23, 1918, the contemporary Minister of Defence Augustinas Valdemaras signed the order No.1 regarding formation of active forces. The date is regarded as the official date of the establishment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The Lithuanian Warrior awards will take place for the sixth time on November 23, too, in Vilnius Garrison Officers Club.
Today the Lithuanian Armed Forces numbers to approximately 15,000 military personnel.
This year Armed Forces Day is also exceptional as the 20 anniversary of cooperation between the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Pennsylvania National Guard will be celebrated at the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. The cooperation between Lithuania and the State of Pennsylvania will also be monumentalised by naming a square in Vilnius after Pennsylvania.
Photos by A.Pliadis (MOD archive)
