“In 1991 In January, Lithuania had to choose – whether to allow the bloody red terror machine to crush our young Independence or to stand as a wall in its defense. And Lithuania chose. Indifferent citizens gathered and stopped the rampaging occupiers, unfortunately 14 of them laid down their heads for the freedom of the Motherland. Therefore, the least we can do is to protect their memory, honor them with this run and never forgive and never allow the enemy’s murderers to trample our land”, said the commander of the Lithuanian army, gen. Raimundas Vaikšnoras.
In the event dedicated to the defenders of freedom, all participants covered a symbolic distance of 9 km from the Antakalnis cemetery to the Television Tower. More than 8,000 people took part in the run organized for the 33rd time this year. participants from Lithuania and foreign countries, among which – more than 2.5. thousand Lithuanian and allied soldiers. All runners who reached the finish line were awarded commemorative medals.
“January 13th is a blow, when it seems that everything could fall apart after such a short time. Then there were people under the tanks, in whose hearts, despite fifty years of occupation and growing up under oppression, the spirit of freedom was burning. Tanks and automatic machines were powerless against this spirit, but for the Independence of Lithuania, fourteen of our fellow citizens had to pay the highest price – their lives.
This price of blood obliges us to never give up and stand guard of the state. May the spirit of freedom never die.” – said Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė.
Honor runs were also organized this year by Lithuanian soldiers serving abroad. The races took place in Belgium, Estonia, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Poland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Germany.
The largest running team this year was the Ground Forces of the Lithuanian Army, the largest sports club – City Boxing (62), the largest school team in Vilnius – Lazdijius. Gustaitis Gymnasium (34), the largest team in Vilnius – General Jonas Žemaitis Lithuanian Military Academy (502). At the end of the run, four soldiers of the Lithuanian army were presented with “Iron Will” awards for achieving the best results of physical training in their age groups.
The international respect run “The Path of Life and Death” was organized by the Lithuanian Army, the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Sports Association “Žalgiris”, the Association of Lithuanian Running Amateurs, the Ministry of Culture, Education, Science and Sports, the Chancellery of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Radio and television center, Vilnius city municipality and other organizations.
The “Road of Life” run has been organized since 1992. During the events important to the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, on January 13, 1991, Loreta Asanavičiūtė, Virginijus Druskis, Rolandas Jankauskas, Rimantas Juknevičius, Alvydas died. Kanapinskas, Algimantas Petras Kavoliukas, Vytautas Koncevičius, Vidas Maciulevičius, Titas Masiulis, Stasys Mačiulskas, Alvydas Matulka, Apolinaras Juozas Povilaitis, Ignas Šimulionis, Vytautas Vaitkus.
Source: www.15min.lt
