Vilnius: On the eve of Tibetan Royal Year 2151, Tibet Square in Vilnius, an interesting hub of Tibet-related activities in Lithuania, was brought alive by the Lithuanian friends of Tibet, in a show of solidarity with Tibetans, with traditional Tibetan decorations along with artistic creation of ice-sculpture to welcome the Tibetan new year. And this was widely covered in the Lithuanian media. This group of Tibet supporters met with Sikyong Penpa Tsering and Representative Sonam Frasi last week during the Tibetan delegation’s visit to Vilnius. On the other side in New Delhi, Lithuanian Ambassador to India, Her Excellency Diana Mickeviciene, also joined the Losar celebration at the Bureau of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Read the report received from Vilnius below.

“Sending warmest wishes to Tibetans from Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, in celebration of Losar!

On February 9th, both locals and visitors gathered at Užupis Tibetan Square in Vilnius to ring in the Tibetan New Year, Losar. The festivities included the traditional changing of prayer flags, lighting of a bonfire, burning incense, and serving traditional Tibetan tea. The event, spearheaded by fervent supporters of Tibet, saw participation from various Buddhist community representatives.

Highlighting the occasion, an ice sculpture of the New Year’s symbol, the Wooden Dragon, was unveiled, crafted by Bali-born artist I Made Sutama-Oka, now residing in Vilnius. This sculpture will remain accessible to the public as long as the weather permits.

The celebration serves as a tribute to the cultural and spiritual bond between Vilnius and Tibet and aims to bring attention to the ongoing human rights violations in Tibet.”

–Filed by Office of Tibet, London