On 25 October the international exhibition Expo 2010 held in Shanghai will celebrate the National Day of Lithuania. A one-day festival will be attended by the world famous Lithuanians and the official event will be honoured by the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė.

 

The festival aimed to introduce Lithuania in the international exhibition will give the Chinese the opportunity to meet the world famous Lithuanians – former coach of the Chinese national basketball team Jonas Kazlaukas, the world’s foremost strongman Žydrūnas Savickas and the legendary basketball player Šarūnas Marčiulionis.

 

The National Day of Lithuania will begin with the official visit of the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė to the Expo exhibition, during which the President will pay a visit to the Chinese and Lithuanian pavilions. The festival will end with a special concert of the most popular Lithuanian ensembles and artists.

 

During the concert, the ensemble Lietuva, celebrating its 70th anniversary, will present Lithuanian folk dances and songs. Regimantas Šilinskas will reveal the uniqueness of the Lithuanian folk instrument the skrabalai by playing not only folk but classical pieces as well. Petras Vyšniauskas, the winner of the National Culture and Art Prize, will improvise the national folk songs. The musical programme will also include solo songs by Česlovas Gabalis.

 

Visitors of the exhibition will have the opportunity to learn about one of the oldest Lithuanian folk arts – woven and braded national sashes. Visitors will also be invited to try meals and drinks of the Lithuanian culinary heritage.