On 29 March 2004 seven European countries, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the three Baltic states – Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, joined the strongest defensive alliance in the world, NATO. According to Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas, Lithuania’s membership in NATO is even more critical in light of the Russian war in Ukraine.
“NATO is the fundamental guarantee of Lithuania’s security – a strong and ready Alliance prepared to respond to any crisis any time and to protect every inch of Lithuania’s and the entire Alliance territory. Lithuania is a trustworthy NATO Ally who seeks and finds solutions alongside other Allies to enhance NATO and our shared security in the region and the entire Euro-Atlantic space,” says A. Anušauskas.
The 19th anniversary of Lithuania’s NATO membership will be celebrated by hoisting the Lithuanian and NATO flags, President o the Republic of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nausėda and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Gen Christopher G. Cavoli will deliver remarks. The Rafale and F-16 fighter jets of the French ad Polish Air Force Detachments currently conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states are planned to conduct a fly-past to mark the event.
The Power in Unit exhibition reviews the course of NATO’s establishment and expansion, presents member states, their military capabilities and contribution to the collective NATO security and defence policy. The exhibition also presents the history of Lithuania and NATO after Lithuania joined the Alliance in 2004: Lithuanian Armed Forces deployments to multinational operations, exercises, social activities of Lithuania and the Allies, service and life of NATO troops deployed in Lithuania.
“The concept of Mighty When United exhibition was not accidental: museums preserve the past and NATO protects the future. The context we have today urges to discuss not only the history of the Alliance but also its future prospects. We focused not only on NATO member states but also on the Invitees – Finland and Sweden. And also the aspirants – Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, certainly, Ukraine. We would like to see our audience learn new things in the exhibition but most importantly, to see why the Alliance is so important to our defence,” Director of the National Museum of Lithuania Dr. Rūta Kačkutė says.
Everyone in attendance at the commemoration in the Bastion of Vilnius City Wall on March 29 will be able to see the modern Lithuanian and NATO Allies’ equipment and weapons which will be put on display by troops of Lithuania, the rotational U.S. battalion and the NATO eFP Battle Group Rukla.
The National Museum of Lithuania challenge to test your knowledge about NATO Allies in a quiz and the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania provides an interactive installation to experience NATO’s F-16s in flight in a formation and a hologram that brings back to life NATO’s archival documents.
The audience will be entertained by the National Defence Volunteer Force Big Band Jazz Band, Jurgis Brūzga, Augustė Vedrickaitė, and Cadet Choir of the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania.
The commemoration is co-organized by the Ministry of National Defence and the National Museum of Lithuania.
