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On 5 October, an international historical conference “Political and cultural activity of the Ogiński dynasty: reflections on the past and prospects for the future” was held at the Faculty of History of Vilnius Pedagogical University, during which Lithuanian Foreign Vice-Minister Evaldas Ignatavičius highlighted the political activity of the Ogiński dynasty and their contribution to the development of the Lithuanian diplomacy.

According to E.Ignatavičius, although many associate the name of Ogiński with music and active cultural life, we should not forget the contribution to the development of cross-border relations and aspirations to re-establish the statehood of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

“When we hear the name of Ogiński, we, first of all, think about music - the Polonaise and Mazurka. However, Michał Kleofas Ogiński (Mykolas Kleopas Oginskis) became famous not only as a composer. When he was just four years old, Stanisław August Poniatowski (Stanislovas Augustas Poniatovskis) asked him what he wanted to de when he grew up. The child answered: “Serve the Homeland”. And he did so, as he became a renowned statesman and diplomat, the last Lithuanian Grand Treasurer, one of the commanders during the Uprising in 1794 and a public educator,” the Vice-Minister said.

According to the Vice-Minister, Poland-born Michał Kleofas Ogiński lived, worked and composed music in Poland, Lithuania and Belarus. Thus, as a person, M.K.Ogiński belongs to the three nations.

The Duke was well known for his diplomatic activity. In 1790, as a special envoy he travelled to the Netherlands and, later, with a secret diplomatic task to London, then he returned again to The Hague. M.K.Ogiński continued with his diplomatic mission to restore the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also after the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth had lost its statehood. In 1795, the Duke went with a secret mission to Turkey, where he tried to persuade Sultan Selim III to become involved in a military conflict with Russia. The Prince repeatedly requested General Bonaparte to help Poland and Lithuania to throw off the Russian yoke. After becoming a secret advisor to the tsar Alexander I of Russia on the subject of the territory of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, M.K.Ogiński repeatedly tried to raise the idea of his Homeland’s sovereignty.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs financed the conference dedicated to the 246th birth anniversary of M.K.Ogiński. The project of the Ogiński Cultural History Museum of Rietavas on the shared historical heritage of Lithuania and Belarus is financed from the fund of the Lithuanian Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion Programme for a second consecutive year.

Currently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is considering the possibilities to include the 250th anniversary of the birth of M.K.Ogiński in the list of UNESCO Anniversaries in 2015.