Reconstructed Vilnius Square opened in Tbilisi

 

The reconstructed Vilnius Square was opened in Tbilisi, the capital of Sakartvelo, on Tuesday. The Mayor of Tbilisi Kakha Kaladze, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius, the Lithuanian Ambassador in Sakartvelo Giedrius Puodžiūnas and the Deputy Director of Vilnius City Administration Rita Balčiūnienė solemnly opened the renovated public space in the very heart of the city. The City of Vilnius allocated EUR 13.5 thousand for the project of renovation of the public space. The author of the project is the Lithuanian architect Rytis Cikanavičius.

Aleksandras Zubriakovas, the adviser to the Mayor of Vilnius, read the Mayor’s congratulations speech to the residents of Tbilisi and members of the Lithuanian community living in Sakartvelo, who arrived to the opening ceremony.

“On the occasion of beautiful cooperation of our cities that has lasted for 10 years now, we want to thank and to congratulate the people of Tbilisi and the Lithuanian community who live here, wishing for this communion space to always be full of people, events, to be an inspiration for artists to create and a popular meeting place. We share a common vision, a constant dialogue and a close connection, a common history of battles for freedom – today we can rejoice over our achievements together and build a friendly future.

We wish you welfare and prosperity, security and stability, and common goals in our joint path of freedom and democracy. May the Tbilisi Square in Vilnius and the Vilnius Square in Tbilisi be fostered and cherished as symbols of our solid brotherhood”, these are the words from the Mayor’s congratulation speech.

Lighting was replaced in the renovated Vilnius Square in Tbilisi, also installing new benches and a new children’s playground. The pergola at the centre of the square was specially planted so that visitors can enjoy a pleasant shade next summer.

The square in Tbilisi was unveiled in 2009. During the opening, a playground, a fountain and a wall with the Užupis Constitution was installed at the square. A year later, a copy of the tile “The Miracle” by the artist Gitenis Umbrasas was uncovered at the square. The Vilnius Wall with small works of art, which have associations with Lithuania and Vilnius, embedded in it was uncovered in 2012. The artist Marius Abramavičius Neboisia created the idea of the wall.

Four years ago, Tbilisi Square was opened in Vilnius, in Žvėrynas neighbourhood. The Mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius opened it together with the then Prime Minister of Sakartvelo Irakli Garibashvili. There are benches with Tbilisi initials which were presented to Vilnius as a gift set up at the square.