Vilnius exhibition 'Frequency of Freedom' in Gediminas' Tower honors Lithuania's fight for liberty

An exhibition titled "Frequency of Freedom" has opened on the third floor of Gediminas' Tower in Vilnius, marking a significant commemoration of Lithuania's historical struggles for independence. The opening date, August 23, holds particular importance as it symbolizes the Baltic Way, a pivotal event in the nation's modern history.

The exhibition emphasizes that Lithuania's freedom has been shaped by the courageous decisions of its people. Dr. Rūta Kačkutė, Director General of the Lithuanian National Museum, stated that across different eras, individuals consistently took responsibility, asking, "What can I do now?" Despite potential fear or uncertainty, they chose not to surrender. Kačkutė stressed that freedom is not passive but actively created through people's choices and actions, urging visitors to consider their own responses in challenging circumstances and their contributions to the state today.

Deputy Minister of Culture Lina Baublienė noted the symbolic significance of the location and date. She recalled that the Baltic Way, which united three nations and signaled Lithuania's independence to the world, began 37 years prior near Gediminas' Hill. Therefore, opening an exhibition in the tower that narrates the continuous resistance is a meaningful symbolic step.

The exhibition presents Lithuania's freedom struggle through the personal stories of individuals, authentic objects, documents, photographs, and audio-visual recordings. Among the displayed items are a Lithuanian flag that flew in Gediminas' Tower during the January 1991 events, a lighter belonging to fallen freedom fighter Darius Gerbutavičius, and a box made by political prisoner Juozas Grušys to hide his poetry in a labor camp. It also features photographs of partisans, documents from dissidents, underground symbols, and gold items from the 1990 Blockade Fund.

Interactive elements enhance the visitor experience, with voices from different historical periods playing over radio stations. The exhibition concludes with an opportunity for visitors to express their stance and join a virtual protest chain. Curators Dr. Aistė Petrauskienė and Severija Subačiūtė aimed to portray Lithuania's freedom fight not merely as a sequence of dates and events, but as a continuous thread connecting 18th-century uprisings, 20th-century struggles, and the present day, unified by the enduring spirit of resistance.

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Skyrėsi aplinkybės ir pasipriešinimo būdai, tačiau vis iš naujo atsirasdavo žmonių, kurie prisiimdavosi atsakomybę ir klausdavo savęs: ką aš galiu padaryti dabar? Jie galėjo bijoti, abejoti, nežinoti, kuo viskas baigsis, tačiau pasirinko nepasiduoti. Laisvė neatsiranda savaime – ją kuria žmonių sprendimai ir veiksmai. Šiandien gyvename laisvoje valstybėje, tačiau atsakomybės klausimas niekur nedingo. Ekspozicija kviečia pagalvoti, kaip mes patys elgtumėmės sudėtingomis aplinkybėmis ir ką galime padaryti dėl savo valstybės šiandien.