Last Day in Lithuania for King Philippe and Queen Mathilde

Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde started the third and last day of the state visit to Lithuania today, Wednesday October 26, with a separate agenda.
King Philippe, accompanied by the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, paid a visit to the Belgian troops at the military base of Pabrade, a town ten kilometers far from the Belarusian border. The Belgian army “have been participating in NATO’s eastern flank defensive missions for nearly two decades”.
The King met with the soldiers and in a speech stated that “Your presence here, NATO soldiers, far from home, is tangible proof that an alliance’s solidarity is measured at critical moments”, and he thanked the soldiers “for your efforts”.
In the meantime Queen Mathilde, along with the First lady, paid a visit to the Ukrainian Center in Vilnius. The center, established in cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine, the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Lithuania and Vytautas Magnus University, aims “to create an open cultural and educational space for the Ukrainian community, which provides information about cultural, educational and other social opportunities in Vilnius and Lithuania, plans and organizes events, activities and employment for children and all members of the Ukrainian community in Lithuania”.
The Queen and the First Lady met with staff and volunteers of the center but also with Ukrainian women and childred who fled from the war. During the visit took place a musical performance held by by Ukrainian children.
Then the Queen and the First Lady visited the social restaurant Pirmas Blynas, a restaurant where work people with disabilities.
In early afternoon King Philippe and Queen Mathilde moved to Kaunas, the second-largest city in Lithuania. In Kaunas the King and the Queen were officially welcomed in the courtyard of the Historical Presidency Palace by the Mayor, Visvaldas Matijošaitis and his partner, Loreta Stonkienė. During the visit the Royal Couple toured the Palace, viewed the original copy of Lithuania’s Act of Independence and attended a musical performace.
Afterwards the Royal Couple, along with the President and the First Lady, paid a visit to the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum. At the museum they toured the permanent exhibition of M. K. Čiurlionis’ creations.
The state visit ended with a walk through Unity Square followed by a visit at the Vytautas Magnus University where the Royal Couple and the Presidential Couple toured the exhibition “5X5®” – ” Stories of Design Innovation: from Kortrijk to Kaunas”.

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Filed under Belgium
Tagged King Philippe of the Belgians, Lithuania, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, State Visit.