The Presidents visited the Archcathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus on the Wawel Hill, where the Royal Sigismund Bell, which celebrates its 500th anniversary this year, is installed in one of the towers. The bell is believed to have been cast from trophy cannons captured at the Battle of Orsha fought against the Grand Duchy of Moscow. It is seen as a symbol of common Lithuanian-Polish history.
“In the current geopolitical context, Sigismund’s bell and what it represents are especially relevant. It is a reminder that both 500 years ago and today, Lithuania and Poland stand in guard of Western civilization and act together to counter threats from the East. This visit has demonstrated once again how closely our historical timelines are intertwined and how durable our partnership of values and culture – based on the European identity – continues to be,” the President said.
The leaders visited the International Cultural Center in Kraków, where they discussed Lithuanian-Polish cultural cooperation and successful projects in this field. President Gitanas Nausėda noted that cultural contacts between Lithuania and Poland are more dynamic than ever before. It would be difficult to find a cultural organization in Lithuania that does not have a partner in Poland, and professional relations between artists from both countries are extremely close. The Lithuanian leader expressed his delight that the Center gave special focus to our country, its culture and heritage: it exhibited the works of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, brought the Kaunas modernist architecture into focus, and dedicated one issue of its bilingual English-Polish quarterly to Lithuania.
“I have no doubt that this visit to Poland will serve as an impetus for further closer cultural cooperation between Lithuanian and Polish institutions and artists. In this way, we will get to know each other even better, absorb cultural knowledge and practice, share ideas, seek inspiration in our common historical past and present, and look to the future creatively and in partnership,” the President said.
