Conversation with Tomas Venclova “The Lithuanian Helsinki Group: A Voice for Human Rights in Captivity”

The “House of Citizenship” discussion series is a series of conversations initiated by the National Museum of Lithuania together with the DELFI portal, inviting reflection on the development of the Lithuanian state, its foundational values, and forms of civic engagement in today's society. Through meetings with figures from culture, science, and public life, history here becomes a living dialogue about the present. On September 8 , at 6:30 PM, a conversation titled “The Lithuanian Helsinki Group: A Voice for Human Rights in Captivity” will take place with one of the group's five founders, poet and essayist Tomas Venclova . The year 2026 has been declared the Year of the Lithuanian Helsinki Group in Lithuania, marking the 50th anniversary of the founding of this dissident organization. We will discuss how the Helsinki Final Act became a weapon against the Soviet system itself, what drove people of different nationalities, professions, and worldviews to unite, what pressure the KGB put on the group's members, and how people decided to continue their activities knowing what it could cost them. Finally, we will consider what this history teaches us about civic courage and the defense of human rights today. The conversation will be moderated by Laisvūnas Čekavičius, a doctoral student at the Faculty of Philology of Vilnius University. The event is free, but the number of seats is limited. Recordings of the discussions will be published on the Delfi.lt portal and on the National Museum of Lithuania's YouTube channel. Upcoming events in the discussion series: October 13, 6:00 PM – conversation “A Hundred Years on the Air: Lithuanian Radio and the State” (speakers to be announced) November 10, 6:00 PM – conversation “What Does Balys Gajauskas's Stance Mean Today?” (speakers to be announced) The event's visual uses a still from the documentary film “Decadent No. 2419” (dir. Saimir Bajo).

Adresas: Pilininko namas

Kaina: Nemokamai