Linkevičius: Collector coin is an eloquent sign of history and acknowledgement of the countries that recognised Lithuania’s Independence
At the Money Museum in Vilnius on 8 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius participated in a presentation of a collector coin, which was issued by the Bank of Lithuania. The collector coin is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of international recognition after the declaration of Lithuania’s Independence. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister said that the coin was an eloquent sign of history and acknowledgement of the countries that recognised Lithuania’s Independence.
“These countries made a decisive step in a difficult and important moment for our country, which allowed Lithuania to come back home to Europe and the world, and we shall always be grateful for Lithuania’s recognition to these countries and to their then leaders. The recognition of Lithuania’s statehood, re-establishment of diplomatic relations and membership in the United Nations crowned the activities of the Lithuanian nation and diplomacy that had continued unimpeded in the years of Soviet occupation,” said Linkevičius.
The reverse of the coin shows the national flags of Lithuania and Iceland, which was the first to recognize Lithuania’s Independence. Elements of national flags of Denmark, which was the second to recognise the restored Independence, and of other countries are arranged in a circle in chronological order of their recognition of the State of Lithuania after the declaration of its Independence. Lithuania’s membership in the UN has symbolically crowned its return to the community of free countries, so the emblem of the international organization also adorns the new coin.
The member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania Marius Jurgilas presented the collector coins to the Ambassador of Denmark Dan Frederiksen and to Iceland’s Honorary Consul Vaidotas Sankalas, who participated in the presentation. The Bank of Lithuania has also requested the country’s diplomatic representations to present the collector coins to the former Foreign Ministers of Iceland and Denmark – Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson and Uffe Ellemann-Jensen – for their great merit. The coin will also be sent to the United Nations.
The coin was designed by the artist Rūta Ničajienė. A total of 4,000 pieces of the coin were minted.
Photo: Linkevičius and the Danish Ambassador Dan Frederiksen (centre), a member of the Board of the Bank of Lithuania Marius Jurgilas (first from left). For more photos please click here.
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