2026 May 16 we visited South England (North Sea coast, the port city of Portsmouth). It was a pleasure to participate in the traditional Lithuanian community festival “Spring of Freedom,” where a large, sincere, and curious community gathers. Throughout the day there was an art fair, concerts full of Lithuanian spirit, workshops, and educational activities.
Members of the Vilnius Region Folk Artists and Art Creators’ Community arrived with the purpose of conducting educational workshops and introducing traditional crafts: the Vilnius willow binding tradition – Jovita Balčiūnienė, straw garden binding – Roma Gudaitienė, Aukštaitija sash weaving – Henrika Ivancienė. Vilnius Community Chairwoman Ramutė Kraujalienė presented a collection of select sashes created by Vita Babičienė, Augustinas Monkus, and Vita Povilionienė. The result is good when people are active. The master craftswomen could barely keep up teaching everyone who wanted to learn, and had to extend the sessions, and the next day additionally conduct workshops for the festival organizers’ team.
It was truly a wonderful and warm community gathering. Our stands were visited by the Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the United Kingdom Asta Ridikaitė and the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania “Grįžtu LT” program Tadas Kubilius, who gladly learned the crafts. We are grateful for the invitation and the opportunity to participate in this celebration and for the great care shown to us, to the Lithuanian community chairwoman Gintarė Ulevičiūtė and the entire organizing team.
The project is supported by the Lithuanian Culture Council,
Partner – UKLC South Coast Lithuanian Community
https://jklb.co.uk/skyrius/lithuanian-community-of-south-coast/ https://www.facebook.com/JungtinesKaralystesLietuviuBendruomene?locale=uk_UA