On 19 June, the Embassy of Lithuania in Chisinau launched a plethora of cultural, political, and academic events “Two States, Two Destinies and Two Decades of Diplomatic Relations” to mark the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Moldova.

On June 19, Lithuanian violinist Džeraldas Bidva performed at the Chisinau Organ Hall with the National Chamber Orchestra of Moldova. The concert featured music by Antonio Vivaldi and Felix Mendelssohn.

On June 21, a joint Lithuanian-Moldovan photography exhibition opens at the Jewish Cultural Center KEDEM in Chisinau. The exhibition portrays Jewish cultural heritage in both countries. “The Sounds of Silence” is an exhibition of photographs by famous Lithuanian photographer Raimondas Paknys, which depicts such inseparable objects of the Jewish culture and religion as synagogues, yeshivas and cemeteries. The photographs that were selected for this exhibition by the Jewish Cultural Center KEDEM depict Moldova’s Jewish culture and architectural heritage.

Moldovan ensemble of violinists “The Fiddler” will perform music by famous Lithuanian composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and a documentary film “Litvaks” by film director Rūta Sinkevičiūtė will be screened during the opening of the exhibition.

On June 26, the Moldovan National Museum of Ethnography and Natural History invites inhabitants and guests of Chisinau to view an exhibition of beautiful Lithuanian and Moldovan national sashes and to compare their patterns. Viewers of the exhibition will be able to admire Lithuanian national sashes that were woven by Antanina Didžgalvienė and Moldovan national sashes from the funds of the Museum. Visitors will also have an opportunity to see the actual process of weaving Moldovan traditional sashes using authentic weaving looms.

On June 29, the Embassy of Lithuania in Chisinau organizes a round-table discussion on European integration, which will focus on the historical, geopolitical, socio-economic and cultural features of these countries that have determined the choice of these countries to step on the path to European integration.

At the discussion, officials will present priorities of Lithuania’s Presidency of the EU Council in 2013 and Eastern Partnership Summit that is due in Vilnius at that time. The event will be attended by Moldovan Foreign Minister Iurie Leanca, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius, Member of the European Parliament Leonidas Donskis, Lecturer at the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at Vilnius University Mindaugas Jurkynas, Moldovan politicians, journalists, representatives from the academic community and non-governmental organizations.

The website of the Embassy of Lithuania also invites visitors to take a quiz on Lithuania until June 25. The quiz is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The main prize of the quiz is a trip to Lithuania.

The Parliament of Moldova was the first in the world to recognize the independence of Lithuania on 31 May 1990. Lithuania and Moldova established diplomatic relations in July 1992.