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On Monday August 2, it was announced that three million people had visited the Lithuanian pavilion in the three months since the opening of the Shanghai Expo 2010. From a Lithuanian point of view, three million is an incredible number, as it means there have been nearly as many visitors in the pavilion as there are inhabitants in the entire country. What makes the success even sweeter is the fact that the pavilions of its neighboring Baltic countries are still lagging far behind in their visitor numbers.

A budding modern city

One possible reason for the success of the Lithuanian exhibition may be the bird's eye perspective it uses to present the country. The pavilion invites people to view Lithuania as it would be seen from a hot air balloon on a 360 degree screen complete with sound effects. Choosing to present Lithuania from an aerial perspective is not just about making a visual impact, it is also a way to tell about the popularity of hot air ballooning in Lithuania. According to statistics, Lithuania ranks first in the world in the number of hot air balloons per 1,000 inhabitants and, in fact, Vilnius is the only European capital that allows hot air balloon flights over the city. Fly Lithuania is a project aiming to illustrate how Vilnius, with its combination of green spaces, skyscrapers, red rooftops of the old town and its harmony between city life and nature in general, is answering the challenge to build a Better City, Better Life, the theme of the Shanghai Expo. According to the pavilion organizers, the Fly Lithuania exhibition has proved a particularly big hit with visitors interested in hot air ballooning, a relatively new activity in China and Asia.

As a whole, the pavilion is designed to resemble a flower bud. The interior of the bud is dominated by a grand hall with a movable stage. In the hall is an exhibition presenting a cross-section of Lithuania's many strengths and cultural aspects. One corner of the pavilion is dedicated to Lithuania’s national sport (or some say religion) – basketball. Here, visitors can test their hoop shooting skills on a basketball court for a chance to win a small prize. There are also plans to stage a basketball match between teams from different pavilions in August, with the winner crowned the Expo Basketball Champion.

The pavilion also promotes advanced Lithuanian laser technology, an area the country hopes to strengthen its business ties with China in. An interesting contradiction to the high-tech side of the Lithuanian pavilion are the elaborate handicrafts made by skilled Lithuanian artisans. Visitors to the pavilion can also try their hand in such traditional handicrafts as pottery, toy-making, willow weaving and woodcarving.

Events in the Lithuanian pavilion

In addition to being an extensive information resource on Lithuania, the national pavilion also educates visitors about important events in Lithuania. During the Eurovision Song Contest in May, the Lithuanian pavilion repeatedly played the Lithuanian entry and encouraged visitors to join in the festive spirit by teaching them the accompanying dance moves. On July 6, the pavilion marked the anniversary of the coronation of the first king of Lithuania, King Mindaugas, in 1253. In honor of the national day, 10,000 visitors were given a crown of their own.

Perhaps the biggest event in Lithuania and in the pavilion so far this summer has been the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Grunwald, celebrated from July 13-20. The anniversary festivities saw the Lithuanian pavilion turn medieval, with a troupe of 15th century knights with real weapons re-enacting one of the most significant battles in Lithuanian and European medieval history. In addition, the pavilion held an exhibition of historic clothing and jewelery representative of everyday life in ancient Lithuania.

It is no secret that Lithuania has had to limit itself to a modest budget at the Shanghai Expo as the country has been hit hard by the economic crisis. Therefore, it is all the more interesting that the Lithuanian pavilion has been such a success, attracting as many as 37,000 visitors per day. Lithuanian organizers are hoping that in half a year, 5-6 million people will have visited the pavilion. But just like all the other participating countries, what Lithuania hopes the most is to leave a lasting impression on the minds of all the visitors to its pavilion.

Author: Vytautas Kraujalis