The participants of the event will be welcomed by President Dalia Grybauskaitė, Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius, Chair of the Group for Inter-Parliamentary Relations with the USA MP Emanuelis Zingeris, Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius and US chargé d’affaires to Lithuania Garold N. Larson.
Orchestra of the Lithuanian Air Force and Lithuanian bands will perform.
The event is dedicated not only to mark the US non-recognition policy of the Baltic States‘ occupation, but to celebrate US-Lithuania partnership and begin a tradition for Vilnius residents to gather in the Washington Square when marking the dates signifying US-Lithuania friendship.
The declaration issued on 23 July 1940 by US Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles was a resolute and uncompromising announcement to the world that the US did not recognise the occupation and annexation of Lithuania and other Baltic States both de jure and de facto.
The Welles Declaration was an example to other Western powers to follow non-recognition policy and remain loyal to the ideals of freedom and independence. For Lithuania such step of the US allowed to maintain hope for the whole five decades that the country would again become independent and democratic.
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