Within the framework of implementing the Cooperation Agreement between St.Petersburg and Vilnius (Lithuania) and participating of St.Petersburg in the project "Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009", the Days of St.Petersburg were held in the Lithuanian capital on October 7 through 10, 2009.
Within the framework of implementing the Cooperation Agreement between St.Petersburg and Vilnius (Lithuania) and participating of St.Petersburg in the project "Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009", the Days of St.Petersburg were held in the Lithuanian capital on October 7 through 10, 2009.
The delegation of our city that took part in the activities of the Days, was headed by A.Yu. Manilova, Vice-Governor of St.Petersburg.
During the visit, the delegation met with V. Navickas, Mayor of Vilnius, V.V .Chkhikvadze, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia in the Republic of Lithuania, D. Numgaudis, Chancellor of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania, Urshenasom, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, A. Anušauskas, Chairman of the Interparliamentary Working Group for Cooperation with Russian Federation at the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, J. Karosas, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for International Cooperation at the Parliament of Lithuania, E. Ignatavichius, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, G. Miškinis, Chancellor of the Ministry of Economy of Lithuania, and other officials from Vilnius and Lithuania, as well as with R. Kvetkauskas, Director of "Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009", organizations of Russian compatriots living in Lithuania, and Lithuanian Association of Alumni of St.Petersburg educational institutions "Club St.Petersburg".
Petersburg and Lithuanian parties have agreed to develop cooperation in the areas of culture, economy, science, business, information ties, to support school and student exchanges, and training courses for teachers and educators.
During the negotiations, the Petersburg party paid a great attention to the support of Russian language and the role of Russian culture in Lithuania.
Contacts were established between sectoral committees at the administration of St.Petersburg and the relevant authorities of Vilnius and the Lithuanian Republic.
In the near future, it is planned to sign the Agreement between the Government of St.Petersburg and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania on trade and economic cooperation, a draft of which is currently at a final stage of negotiation. Separately, the importance of air services between St.Petersburg and Vilnius was discussed, the resumption of which would have a positive impact on mutual tourism flows between our countries. At the end of November 2009, it is planned to organize a visit of the Lithuanian business delegation in St.Petersburg.
Discussed were many issues of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, e.g., the promotion of a joint project of Vilnius and the State Hermitage Museum "Hermitage Museum - Guggenheim", the activity of Russian Ethnographic Museum, which, in particular, resulted in opening in Vilnius the exhibition "Oldtime Lithuania" on 17 September 2009.
The leaders and members of the Club "Saint Petersburg" expressed their readiness to further develop cultural and humanitarian ties between St.Petersburg and Vilnius, with particular attention paid to raising the prestige of higher education obtained at higher educational institutions of St.Petersburg.
On October 8, A.Yu. Manilova, Vice-Governor of St.Petersburg, handed at the Embassy of Russia in Lithuania a commemorative medal "In Honor of 65th Anniversary of Complete Leningrad Liberation from Nazi Blockade" to the compatriots - residents of besieged Leningrad. The awards, established by the Government of St.Petersburg, were bestowed on 28 residents and defenders of the City on the River Neva, currently residing in the territory of Lithuania. Addressing the awardees, A.Yu. Manilova assured that the city will never forget their heroism, and gave the Lithuanian blockade words of gratitude from V.I. Matvienko, Governor of St.Petersburg, and stressed that the attempts of some political forces to rewrite history were intolerable.
The culture of Petersburg was presented in Vilnius by the stars of Mariinsky Ballet, jazz trio of Kondakov-Gayvoronskiy-Volkov, the exhibition "Saint Petersburg. The Dialogue of the Ages" from the collection of State Museum of St.Petersburg History, a photography exhibition" Portraits and People" by photographer V.Plotnikov, formal theater "Between Dog and Wolf", directed by A. Moguchiy, a performance of the play "Bury Me behind the Skirting Board" staged by I. Konyaev, and a jazz program by the musicians from the group "Aquarium".
Cultural events were a great success and raised a great interest to Russia and St.Petersburg's culture among the Lithuanians. Particular attention was drawn to the gala concert of ballet stars that finalized a cultural program of the Days of St.Petersburg in Vilnius.
Within the confines of the Days, the training courses were also organized for teachers of Russian language abroad: "Effective Strategies for Communication and Education of Children-bilinguals" for Russian-speaking teachers of kindergartens and schools of further education; the exhibition was opened featuring the educational materials about Russian language and Russian literature, "Up-to-date Educational Aids on Russian as Foreign and Second Native Language"; a presentation of higher educational institutions of St.Petersburg was held in the Conference Room of Vilnius Municipality for directors and senior pupils of Vilnius schools teaching in Russian; a round table was run on "Survival of Russian Language and Culture in the Russian-speaking Diaspora of Lithuania".
As a part of the activities, the delegation of St.Petersburg passed to the compatriots' organizations and educational institutions in Lithuania the educational materials on Russian language, and sets of books on history and culture of Russia and St.Petersburg.
In the autumn of next year, it is planned to run the Days of Vilnius in St.Petersburg in response.
Source: Committee for External Relations of St.Petersburg