Dear leaders, members and friends of the Lithuanian Jewish Community,

As January 13th, Lithuania’s Day of the Defenders of Freedom, approaches we intend to mark the 30th anniversary of the blood events at the Vilnius Television Tower when Soviet troops killed unarmed civilian protestors.

On January 13, 1991, Soviet tanks and troops attempted to take over the television tower, the Radio and Television Committee headquarters and other sites in the capital of the breakaway Soviet republic.

The LJC invites children and young people to use the day to learn about this history and to don in solidarity with Lithuanians the forget-me-not flower symbol. Please draw your own forget-me-not and send in a high resolution photograph of the drawing or of you holding the drawing in your hand.

Please include your name, age and city or town along with the photograph. We’re also asking you to provide a brief answer to the question, “What does freedom mean to me?”

Please send photos, information and answers to projects@lzb.lt

There is a template for the flower at http://bit.ly/3pZ8kAk

We are planning to incorporate the images in a large poster which we will make public on the morning of January 13 through the various channels and organs of the LJC.

You can follow the campaign at #PiešiuLaisvę

We will also be placing lit candles in the windows of the LJC and Jewish heritage sites on the morning of January 13.