ONE OF LITHUANIA’S most promising young musicians visited Belfast last week to promote Vilnius as European Capital of Culture.
Pianist Evelina PuzaitÄ— has won the prestigious 2001 Baltic State Scholarship to study with the distinguished Professor Joan Havill at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
Belfast’s Lord Mayor Tom Hartley attended a special recital performed by PuzaitÄ— and organised by the Lithuanian Embassy of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Lithuania’s national tourism office in the UK.
Vilnius is European Capital of Culture for 2009, revealing the city to be one of the most modern and dynamic in the continent. The year will see 900 events taking place across the city.
It also denotes another important date in Lithuania’s history – the millennial anniversary of its first mention in the history books.
However, all has not gone smoothly with the capital’s cultural celebrations, with legislators cutting the organising budget from 40m to 29m litas (€11.6m to €7.25m) in light of the global financial crisis.
Nevertheless, some promotion of Vilnius is continuing overseas, and Belfast’s Lord Mayor was welcomed at last Thursday’s recital at the Belfast Harbour Commiss-ioner’s Office by the Lithuanian Embassy’s chargé d’affaires JanÄ— Hanel.
Lord Mayor Hartley commented: “The year 2009 represents an outstanding opportunity for Lithuania’s tourism and cultural development. There are lots of events taking place across Europe to mark its capital city Vilnius becoming European Capital of Culture 2009.
“Belfast too can share in these celebrations. We can share with the Lithuanian community in our city and further afield in marking this significant occasion as well as celebrating the equally important milestone of Lithuania’s millennium.”
The embassy’s JanÄ— Hanel remarked: “There are important celebrations this year in Lithuania, which we would like to share with our community and friends of Lithuania in Northern Ireland, to bring closer both cultures and see how many things we have in common.
“We thank for this wonderful opportunity the Lord Mayor of Belfast Mr Tom Hartley as well as our indefatigable Honorary Consul in Northern Ireland Mr William Harper Sinnerton.”
Belfast City Council has enjoyed a strong relationship with Lithuania for many years, having worked with Vilnius in the Connect Project funded by Peace II. The aim of that initiative was to exchange best practice in economic, social and urban development as well as local governance.
