Tribute Run "Road of Life and Death"
On 13 January 2021, Lithuania will mark the 30th anniversary of the Day of Defenders of Freedom to remember the victims of Soviet military aggression in Vilnius in 1991. In an attempt to overthrow the Lithuanian government, the Soviet army attacked Vilnius TV tower, Lithuanian Radio and Television and other strategic institutions, which were surrounded by singing crowds of civilians in the hope to protect newly re-established country’s independence. During the assault, 14 people were killed and hundreds were injured. In the aftermath, even more people flocked to Parliament and other buildings to ward off feared further assaults. These ordinary citizens - the defenders of freedom - became a symbol of Lithuania’s victory in fight for freedom.
To remember and mark the 30th anniversary of the Day of Freedom Defenders, the Lithuanian Embassy in London invites all Lithuanians living in the UK and friends of Lithuania to participate in the tribute run "Road of Life and Death". We also invite representatives of the Belarusian diaspora living in the UK to join this initiative as we stand together with the people of Belarus in their fight for freedom and democracy.
This year, for the first time, we invite you to take part in a virtual run. The participants will have to complete a symbolic distance of 9 km - Vilnius TV Tower and Antakalnis Cemetery, where the victims of the events of January 13 are buried, are 9 km apart.
Important information for participants:
- The same rules apply as in our previous in-person editions, with one small exception: you can now run whenever and wherever you want! Head outside for your 9K run between January 10th and 17th and record your time on any publicly and freely available sports app (e.g. Strava, Nike Run Club, Garmin and others).
- Once you are done, please upload a screenshot of your results here and fill in your details. You are more than welcome also to upload photos from your run and we will create a photo album of all the participants.
- Registration is FREE but don’t delay – the first 200 registered finishers of the run will receive custom-made commemorative souvenirs!
Everyone is welcome in the run: participants of all ages and any physical fitness, however, entrants take part in this virtual run entirely at their own risk and are 100% responsible for selecting a safe route to run. Please consider your health and if needed consult your doctor before taking part in the run.
The “Road of Life and Death” tribute run has been organized in Lithuania every year since 1992 and the Lithuanian Embassy in London joined the initiative in 2015. Every year, Lithuanians and friends of Lithuania around the globe join the tribute run. By running together, we all manifest our commitment to freedom and human dignity.
In partnership with the Lithuanian Community in the UK, British-Lithuanian Basketball League, British-Lithuanian Sports Association, Lithuanian Youth Association in the UK and Support Division of the Lithuanian Riflemen's Union of the UK.
