Tbilisi TV Tower lights up for Lithuania
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Tbilisi’s iconic TV Tower will tonight be illuminated in yellow, green and red to mark Lithuanian Freedom Defenders' Day, commemorating victims of Soviet aggression in 1991.
A number of events were scheduled in the Georgian capital city to mark the 25th anniversary of the Freedom Defenders’ Day today.
A special discussion, devoted to this date, will feature Georgia’s Parliament Speaker David Usupashvili, Vice Speaker Giorgi Baramidze and writer Davit Turashvili at the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia at 5pm.
Symbolising Georgia’s solidarity to the people of Lithuania, Tbilisi TV Tower will be illuminated in the colours of the Lithuanian flag from 7pm to 9pm this evening.
The day will be concluded with Georgia’s Public Broadcaster airing an interview with Vytautas Landsbergis who held the role of Chairman of the Parliament during the January Events. A documentary titled Freedom’s Trajectory by Lithuanian and Swiss directors will also be broadcast.
Each year on 13 January, Lithuania marks Freedom Defenders' Day to honour the memory of those killed by the Soviet army in Vilnius in 1991.
25 years ago today, unarmed Lithuanians defended their freedom against Soviet tanks. A day to remember. pic.twitter.com/b4cR8pzh3a
— Martina Quick (@martinaquick) January 13, 2016
On January 13, 1991, the Soviet Union used force to overthrow Lithuania's legitimate government which declared the country's independence on March 11, 1990. More than 1,000 unarmed Lithuanian civilians were injured and 14 were killed during an attempt by the Soviet army and Special Forces to take over the Vilnius TV Tower.
Although the Soviet troops managed to seize control of the TV Tower and the building of the Radio and Television of Lithuania, they did not dare to attack thousands of people who guarded the Seimas (Parliament) of Lithuania.
The Lithuanian Embassy to Georgia said January 13 was comparable to the incident in Georgia on April 9, 1989 when at least twenty people were tragically killed as Soviet troops attacked peaceful protesters in Tbilisi.
Earlier this afternoon Parliament Speaker Usupashvili and Lithuanian Ambassador to Georgia Giedrius Puodziunas laid a wreath at the memorial of April 9 tragedy victims in Tbilisi.
Georgia has marked the 24th anniversary of the Lithuanian Freedom Defenders' Day, commemorating the victims of Soviet aggression in 1991.
Georgia will pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Soviet military actions in Lithuania on January 13, 1991 and will hold an event dedicated to the Lithuanian ‘Day of Freedom Defenders’ tomorrow.
It’s a somber day in Georgia today as the country marks the 25th anniversary of the April 9 tragedy and 23rd anniversary of its independence from the Soviet Union.
Georgian high officials are today remembering the people who died in the hands of Russian troops as they supported the independence of Georgia.
Tbilisi’s iconic TV Tower is illuminated in green to celebrate 20 years of Georgia-Ireland diplomatic relations.
Georgia and Lithuania are intensifying their relations, and Georgian Foreign Minister’s visit to Vilnius will enhance this. Minister Mikheil Janelidze is set to embark on two-day official visit to Lithuania today.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkeviciushas believes Georgia is mature enough and ready for embracing visa-free travel to the European Union (EU).
Georgia and Lithuania are celebrating bilateral cultural and historical ties by hosting a unique exhibition showcasing old texts and other archives. Lithuania’s second largest city Kaunas is hosting the special exhibition titled Lithuania and Georgia in archival sources.
The iconic TV tower overlooking Georgia's capital Tbilisi will be illuminated in orange tonight to mark the city joining an international campaign to counter violence against women.