Lithuania to showcase culture, arts in 52 countries during EU presidency

VILNIUS - Lithuania will showcase its culture and arts in 52 countries across six continents during its presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of next year, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The cultural programme will include concerts, exhibitions, cinema, performing arts and literary presentations, alongside joint projects with international creators. It will span more than 100 cities worldwide and cover over a dozen artistic fields, ranging from music and visual arts to dance, theatre, architecture and culinary heritage.

"Europe exists not only in treaties or institutions. It lives through people wanting to know each other, sharing experiences and creating a future together. Culture opens a special opportunity for dialogue, from which trust and sustainable partnerships are born," Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said.

The ministry noted that while the programme builds on long-standing international work by Lithuanian cultural institutions and artists, it will also provide opportunities to reach new audiences.

Events will target diverse groups, from teenagers and policymakers to diplomats and regular festival-goers at concert halls and museums worldwide.

In Belgium, home to the main European Union institutions, more than 70 cultural events are planned. The programme will be launched on January 22-23 in Brussels and Antwerp by opera soloists Asmik Grigorian and Edgaras Montvidas, performing with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Giedre Slekyte.

The "Year of Lithuania in Germany" will also begin on January 28 at Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, featuring Grigorian, Montvidas and the National Symphony Orchestra. Presentations of contemporary music, jazz, literature and dance are scheduled across Germany.

Lithuanian cultural events are also slated for Japan, the UK, Poland, Italy, France, the United States, Scandinavia, Ukraine, Moldova and Latvia. Featured projects include a performance by Happyendless in Ukraine, a concert by pianist Onute Grazinyte in Latvia and a folk art exhibition in Tokyo.

The programme is funded with 2.1 million euros from the European Union presidency budget, plus an additional 300,000 euros from the Ministry of Culture. The full international and national schedule will be released in December.