Nordic Day Celebrations in Lithuania: Strengthening Regional Bonds and Looking Ahead

Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania marked the celebration of Nordic Day with a special event on March 20th. As Sweden’s presidency programme of Nordic Council of Ministers 2024 reaffirms the commitment to deepening Nordic-Baltic cooperation, we took an opportunity to elaborate possible ways forward for Nordic-Baltic collaboration, considering the current geopolitical situation and joint global challenges.

A key feature of the event was a panel discussion titled “Navigating Together: Nordic-Baltic Cooperation Today and Tomorrow.” The panel brought together Karen Ellemann, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers; Jonas Survila, Vice Minister of Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Cecilia Ruthström-Ruin, Head of the Europe and North America Department at Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Guiding the conversation was Professor Ramūnas Vilpišauskas from Vilnius University.

Throughout the discussion, themes of trust, strong democracies, and integration emerged as cornerstones defining our region’s character. Yet, as emphasized by Karen Ellemann, these foundations cannot be taken for granted. “Building trust and nurturing democratic values demands persistent effort,” she asserted.  Nordic Council of Ministers support and mobility programs are one of the  key initiatives in this regard. Moreover, in response to the evolving realities we confront, resilience-building across all sectors emerges as a paramount priority.

We were deeply honored to be joined by Professor Vytautas Landsbergis, the first head of state of Lithuania following its declaration of independence on March 11, 1990.