Speech by His Majesty the King of the Belgians at the state banquet hosted by His Excellency Gitanas Nausėda, President of the Republic of Lithuania, Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius, Monday 24 October 2022
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Trakai, the former capital of your beautiful country, holds a manuscript by the knight Guillebert de Lannoy, a founding member of the Order of the Golden Fleece and a diplomat in the service of the Duke of Burgundy. The letter, dated 1425, is the oldest known written testimony about Lithuania to have reached Western Europe. Guillebert de Lannoy expressed his admiration for the city of Trakai, which he described as “a great open and multicultural city”. This shows how welcoming Lithuanians have always been. Since then, relations between our countries have become ever closer and friendlier. The dramatic course of European history has often led to disruptions, but we have remained friends, and in recent decades our ties have grown stronger and closer. So it was with gratitude that we accepted your invitation to visit beautiful Lithuania.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I was very interested to read about the rich history of Lithuania, once the largest country in Europe, stretching from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. History has not always been kind to you, but it has demonstrated the incredible resilience of your country, unparalleled in Europe. Although for many centuries, Lithuania had to endure interference from its neighbouring powers, it continued to fight fearlessly and with conviction for its independence and survival. I am referring here to the extensive attempts at Russification in the 19th and 20th centuries, which caused a great deal of suffering. The Lithuanian people, however, never allowed themselves to be subjugated and remained faithful to their language and culture. Today, you are a people that sings. There is no better proud and inclusive way to cherish your national identity.
A powerful image that has remained with me, that deeply touched me is that of the “Baltic Way” in August 1989. In an impressive act of non-violent opposition, two million people formed a 600-kilometre human chain across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. As citizens, they thus opened up the final path to new-found independence. In many ways, this event was as important as the Velvet Revolutions and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
In 2018, Lithuania celebrated, with justifiable pride, the 100th anniversary of its independence. In the meantime, the republic had become a full-fledged and committed member of the European Union and NATO and joined the Eurozone in 2015. This also proves the determination of the Lithuanian people.
Mr President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Like Belgium, Lithuania seeks dialogue rather than conflict. This does not mean that Europe should or could accept that a sovereign country be invaded or annexed by a brutal aggressor. The history of Lithuania shows that we must guard against this. Only a united and determined Europe can respond to such aggression. Belgium also shares this important message.
The presence of our troops in Lithuania is now a self-evident necessity that every Belgian understands and supports. Together, we advocate a united European approach, which offers the best guarantee for results. Throughout the pandemic, Europe has also proven that unity means strength. Our countries know that only Europe can find answers to major challenges, such as the many issues raised by climate change.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The cultural ties between Lithuania and Belgium, which were tentatively initiated in the 16th century, achieved a first highlight in 2014, with the Europalia festival in Belgium. We were amazed, among others, by the retrospective exhibition of works by the brilliant Lithuanian artist Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. Europalia showed a Lithuania full of hope, a nation that, for the first time since Soviet domination, was proudly displaying its rich culture. Lithuania’s attention to its cultural heritage and innovative young artists makes us want to move forward. The rich history of the baroque cities and the magnificent nature of Lithuania are inexhaustible sources of inspiration for a new generation of artists - and they make us dream of new exchanges. Lithuania and Belgium pay special attention to creativity and share the belief that art is a source of inspiration in our search for meaning.
In recent decades, economic exchanges between our countries have intensified. Lithuania’s economy grew dramatically after 1991, and it has since concluded excellent agreements with the Belgian business community. The universities and colleges in our countries also exchange knowledge and work on promising projects, often in the field of high technology. Our ports, industries and logistics companies are closely connected and relationships are growing stronger every year. The cooperation between Lithuania and Belgium is creating a promising interweaving of our economies.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The warm friendship between our countries will only grow stronger in the future and will contribute to strengthening the European Union. And in this union, we will be stronger to defend our values together on the world stage.
Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
With this in mind, I invite you to raise your glass to the friendship between Lithuania and Belgium.