News

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to congratulate you on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When seen through the perspective of a thousand years of the history of our nation and the state, this date is concurrent with the Independence Act of February 16, which proclaimed the restoration of the State of Lithuania under complicated circumstances.

We remember the 7th of November 1918, when Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs started its activities, with proper respect and gratitude to all who fought for Lithuania’s freedom, formed the basis of the independent state and defended national interests even during the hardest years of oppression.  

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, our resurgent state had to constantly and persistently defend its right to existence.  Lithuanian diplomatic service proved with its work that the love of homeland was eternal and nothing could extinguish it. Today we pay honour in commemoration of the diplomats, who suffered exile and occupation. Even in the hardest moments, Lithuanian diplomatic service in exile proclaimed to the world an immortal idea of the Lithuanian state, which in the 20th century was for the second time incarnated by the nation together with the Reform Movement of Lithuania (Sąjūdis).

Today, as members of the world community with equal rights and a voice in transatlantic organisations, we can courageously create the future of our country and contribute to the security and welfare in our region with the support of strong traditions in Lithuanian diplomacy.  

However, every tradition lives for as long, as people give sense to it by working responsibly, professionally and with dedication labour. Sincerely thanking all the people who work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I would like to wish them to draw inspiration from the past in order to overcome the challenges of the present and to create the future, in which the name of Lithuania will be remembered with respect for the next millennium as well.