Important information
The Future is Here: Vilnius Invites Residents to Connect with Another City Through a ‘PORTAL’
Vilnius has built something for those who are tired of pandemic travel restrictions and longing to meet new people from near and faraway countries. A futuristic-looking ‘PORTAL’ has been installed next to Vilnius Train Station, allowing anyone who uses it to make contact in real time with inhabitants of the Polish city of Lublin. A similar PORTAL has been installed in Lublin’s central square.
The PORTAL resembles a virtual circular door and has a large screen and cameras, thanks to which live images can be transmitted between the two cities via the Internet.
Installed on 26 May at Vilnius Train Station Square, the project has been five years in the making. According to its organisers, the PORTAL is supposed to serve as a visual bridge and new wave community accelerator that brings people of different cultures together and encourages them to rethink the meaning of unity.
“Humanity is facing many potentially deadly challenges; be it social polarisation, climate change or economic issues. However, if we look closely, it’s not a lack of brilliant scientists, activists, leaders, knowledge or technology causing these challenges. It’s tribalism, a lack of empathy and a narrow perception of the world, which is often limited to our national borders,” says Benediktas Gylys, President of the Benediktas Gylys Foundation and initiator of the PORTAL idea. “That’s why we’ve decided to bring the PORTAL idea to life – it’s a bridge that unifies and an invitation to rise above prejudices and disagreements that belong to the past. It’s an invitation to rise above the us and them illusion.”
Engineers from the VILNIUS TECH creativity and innovation centre LinkMenų fabrikas built the PORTAL. They chose a circle, a well-known and recognised sci-fi symbol, for the visual ‘bridge‘. Resembling the wheel of time, the PORTAL allows a person to travel and experience reality on the other side of this bridge. According to its creators, the PORTAL’s form, minimal design and aesthetics of also help shape the image of a future city.
“The PORTAL was an impressive and exciting project from the very beginning. From the initial idea to the creation of an interactive bridge connecting cities, it was a complex task that required specific knowledge and technologies. From design and 3D modelling, to digital content development and logistic challenges – a project like this requires a broad and multifunctional team,” says Adas Meskenas, director of LinkMenų fabrikas “Meaningful projects like this one are born when diverse people succeed in working together and achieving synchronicity. And this is just another example of what people who are united can do.”
The PORTAL is not a one-time project, either. The organizers plan to further connect the world using dozens of PORTALS across Europe and around the world in the near future. The aim is to engage communities and encourage a public movement to embrace social experiments, unexpected reactions, as well as the unity of different cultures and their people in the long-run.
The PORTAL is the result of an international project initiated by the Vilnius-based Benediktas Gylys Foundation, in cooperation with the City of Vilnius, the City of Lublin and the Crossroads Centre for Intercultural Creative Initiatives.
Photos for media use can be downloaded here.
Photo by VILNIUS TECH LinkMenų fabrikas (Vilnius)
Also read:
7 Things To Know About Vilnius, Host of NATO Summit 202
Vilnius will be hosting NATO Summit 2023 on July 11-12. From 700th anniversary events to the booming tech scene, the Lithuanian capital has more non-political aspects to take into account. July 6, 2023. On July 11-12, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, will be hosting global officials for the... ❯❯❯
2023-07-06
Vilnius Announces Two Headliners for Biggest Summertime Festival—Bastille and Clean Bandit
Vilnius extends an invitation to all its residents and guests to come to the biggest party this summer—a free urban festival As Young As Vilnius on July 21-25. The program boasts traditional orchestra performances, numerous beloved local artist duos, and exciting headliners—British music... ❯❯❯
2023-07-05
Ahead of the NATO Summit in Vilnius: What Vilnius Residents and Visitors Need to Know
This summer, on 11-12 July, Vilnius will host the most important and biggest event in Lithuania’s history – the NATO Summit. As in other countries that have hosted the summit in the past, traffic restrictions and other changes affecting the normal rhythm of city life are expected in the... ❯❯❯
2023-05-29
Latest Exhibition at Vilnius’ Modern Art Museum Reveals City on Verge of Historical Shift
Vilnius’ modern art MO Museum is presenting a major exhibition which is a highlight of the city’s 700th anniversary year. Based on one of the most significant literary works of the last several decades, the immersive exhibition combines art, cinema, music, and literature to create a... ❯❯❯
2023-04-25
Organizations of World Heritage Cities will develop an emergency relief programme in Vilnius
In cooperation with the City of Vilnius and the Public Institution Vilniaus senamiesčio atnaujinimo agentūra (Vilnius Old Town Renovation Agency), the Central and East-Central European Secretariats of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) are organising a meeting in Vilnius on Monday,... ❯❯❯
2023-03-22
Holiday Destination Vilnius: Top 700th Anniversary Highlights for Spring and Summer
March 15, 2023. The warm season enveloping Lithuania offers new adventures for its residents and guests, and Vilnius, the capital city, has numerous options for a well-rounded city break. Not only does the city entice with full-on outside adventures in many of its parks and the surrounding... ❯❯❯
2023-03-15