Independence Restoration Day is a national holiday on March 11 in Lithuania. The national holiday commemorates the 11 March 1990 declaration of independence by Lithuania from the Soviet Union. It is often confused with February 16’s Restoration of the State Day. Independence Restoration Day honours freedom from the Soviet Union, while Restoration of the State Day commemorates freedom from German rule. The celebrations of Independence Restoration Day in Lithuania include parades, concerts, and museum exhibitions.
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The background of Independence Restoration Day
Lithuania was a sovereign nation until the nineteenth century, when it became a component of the Russian Empire. On February 16, 1918, Lithuania obtained its independence following the First World War. The original name of Independence Day was Restoration of the State Day. As a result of the Soviet Union’s occupation of Lithuania during the Second World War in 1940, the Lithuanians’ commemoration of independence was short-lived. The Lithuanians refused to remain idly by and watch their freedom vanish. They joined forces with Latvia and Estonia to establish the Baltic way, a nearly 400-mile-long human chain consisting of approximately two million individuals.
Lithuanians continued their struggle for independence from the Soviet Union. In the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev’s reform policies encouraged the Lithuanians to pursue independence. In 1990, after five decades of Soviet control, Lithuanians voted for independence. The democratically elected parliament proclaimed Lithuania’s second Independence Day on March 11, 1990. The Soviet Union retaliated by implementing economic sanctions and resorting to violence against Lithuania, but their actions were prevented by international outrage. In 1991, they conceded defeat and acknowledged Lithuania’s independence. The Russian Federation acknowledged the restoration of Lithuania’s independence on July 29, 1991, by concluding a cross-border relations agreement with Lithuania.
In the fight for Lithuania’s independence, many lives were sacrificed. By 2004, Lithuania had joined the European Union. 32 years have passed since Lithuania gained independence from the Soviet Union. Every year, Lithuania observes its independence day to commemorate its history and struggle for freedom. What a cause for celebration!
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5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LITHUANIA’S INDEPENDENCE RESTORATION DAY
In 1992, Lithuania held its first post-Soviet democratic elections, which were won by the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party.
The first of 15 states to obtain independence from the Soviet Union was Lithuania, and many others followed in its footsteps.
The Lithuanian language is one of Europe’s earliest tongues.
Towards the conclusion of the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest nation in Europe.
It may surprise you to learn that Lithuania has the fastest broadband internet connection in the globe!
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INDEPENDENCE RESTORATION DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | March 11 | Saturday |
| 2024 | March 11 | Monday |
| 2025 | March 11 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | March 11 | Wednesday |
| 2027 | March 11 | Thursday |