President Gitanas Nausėda, who opened the public space named “Gardens of Lithuania”, emphasized that it is a special place for the country: the square named after Lithuania was established near the building that housed the embassy of independent Lithuania between the wars, until the 1940s.
Later, this diplomatic mission was occupied by the Soviet Union, which occupied the country.
G. Nausėda drew attention to the fact that the facade of the mentioned building is still marked with Gediminaičii pillars, testifying to its true history. The head of the country thanked France, which never recognized the occupation of Lithuania.
“Exactly here, nearby, in the French National Bank, Lithuanian gold was stored throughout the occupation period, and was finally returned to our country, which regained its independence. Today, I am happy to say that this place, which will henceforth have the name of “Lithuanian gardens”, addresses the citizens and guests of Paris in the language of freedom”, said the president during the opening event.
The ceremony was attended by the mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of the 17th arrondissement of Paris Geoffroy Boulardas, the Lithuanian ambassador to France Nerijus Aleksiejūnas, and other guests.
A. Hidalgo, remembering the historical significance of this place for Lithuania, paid a lot of attention to the country’s leadership in supporting Ukraine, saying that Lithuania “has fought for freedom for centuries, against the growing appetite of Russia, in search of its own identity”, and nowadays it has partially “opened its eyes” to the West for Russia.
She also drew attention to the inscription “Putin, the Hague is waiting for you” hanging on the municipal building in Vilnius.
“By opening these gardens, we are sending a universal message: peace, tolerance and solidarity with Lithuania,” said the mayor.
Later on Wednesday, G. Nausėda plans to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The garden was inaugurated in preparation for the autumn Lithuanian cultural season in France, during which several hundred events will be held, designed to present the history of Lithuanian creators to the national audience.
G. Nausėda hopes that this initiative will “bring more Lithuania to France” and bring the two countries closer together.
The Paris municipal council adopted the decision to give the name “Lietuvos sodų” to the square located in General Catroux (Katru) square last June.
This will be the first place of Lithuania’s name in the capital of this Western European state.
As Ambassador N. Aleksiejūnas told BNS, the idea to perpetuate the name of Lithuania in Paris arose in 2019, after it was pointed out that until now there is no such place name in the French capital.
“I always pass Guatemala Square on my way from home to the embassy. This was my inspiration to try to get Lithuania’s name on the map of Paris. The first answer from the mayor of Paris was that you are a little late because all the places are already taken, it should have been done 50 or 100 years ago. That was the first answer”, said N. Aleksiejūnas.
According to him, however, after long discussions with the mayor’s office of Paris and the 17th arrondissement, it was possible to agree that this name should appear on the map of the capital.
N. Aleksiejūnas noted that in the square on the building of the former Lithuanian embassy, not only historical symbols of Lithuania have survived, but even a mailbox with the name of the embassy.
According to the diplomat, the name “Lituvian Gardens” was chosen due to the similarity with other most beautiful places in Paris – Tuileries (Tuleri), Luxembourg Gardens, it also denotes another meaning – the Lithuanian tradition of hanging gardens.
“You will also see this in the gardens themselves – we managed to make the foundations of Lithuanian gardens green”, the ambassador asserted.
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2024-04-17 01:57:02