Introduction

The Embassy of Lithuania in Paris, located in the former residence of the French romantic composer Ernest Chausson just a few steps from the Parc Monceau, will open its doors for the fourth time as part of the European Heritage Days.
It will be an opportunity to discover Lithuania and its biggest cities through the exhibition «The Kindness of One» by famous Dutch artists Margaret Lansink and Rene van Hulst, the experiential tourism stand and tastings of Lithuanian specialties.

The program includes:

• Exhibition «The Kindness of One» by famous Dutch artists Margaret Lansink and Rene van Hulst to discover Kaunas, the second largest city of Lithuania, on the eve of the Second World War, and the story of two Dutch and Japanese diplomats Jan Zwartendijk and Chiune Sugihara who saved several thousand Jews in 1940 in Lithuania.
• Meeting and exchange with artists Margaret Lansink and Rene van Hulst.
• Photo exhibition dedicated to Lithuanian Olympic and Paralympic champions and medallists.
• Discovery of experiential tourism to travel in Lithuania differently.
• Discovery of the premises of the Embassy of Lithuania, former residence of the French composer Ernest Chausson, and informal meetings with members of the embassy team.
• Tasting of Lithuanian specialties.

To learn more:

The Kindness of One by Margaret Lansink and Rene van Hulst
In «The Kindness of One», photographer Margaret Lansink and poet Rene van Hulst contemplate the great potential that resides in a person’s act of kindness. The couple drew inspiration from events in 1940, during the Second World War, during which thousands of Jews were trapped in Kaunas, Lithuania, between advancing German troops and the Russian army that was taking over the Baltic States. On 24 July, Jan Zwartendijk, the Dutch consul in Kaunas, took a personal initiative and, in cooperation with Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese consul in Kaunas, began issuing visas to Jews. In just two weeks, the two consuls worked hard and drafted 2,345 visas, which allowed these people to cross Russia and reach Japan by boat. They saved the lives of over 6,000 Jews.
Compared to the scale of human history, most days of modern life are banal, filled with administrative tasks such as consulting email, working in the office or at home. Yet, what is a visa? Is it just a small piece of administration? In his black and white images, Lansink traces the feeling of everyday saviors like Zwartendijk through the views of Kaunas and Japan. She mixes scenes from ordinary everyday life with shots of blurred confusion, and multi-layered views with reflections that separate us from what we see. In his series of short poems, van Hulst reflects on the potential of our human existence: we are all frightened and alone, but together. Combined, the photographs and verses of poems evoke the possibility, which resides in every moment of life, to choose fear, apathy and anger, or to choose compassion and kindness. And, of course, artists gently encourage you to choose goodness.
Photo exhibition dedicated to Lithuanian Olympic and Paralympic champions and medallists
Inspired by one of the themes of the 40th edition of the European Heritage Days: «the heritage of sport», the Embassy of Lithuania in France invites visitors to discover a selection of photographs representing Lithuanian Olympic and Paralympic champions and medallists since the 1992 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Embassy of Lithuania in Paris
The Embassy of Lithuania is housed in a mansion that was in the nineteenth century the residence of the French romantic composer Ernest Chausson (1855–1899). Over the years, the Chausson family mansion had acquired the reputation of a true Parisian cultural fair. It was frequented by composers Henri Duparc, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy and Isaac Albéniz, the poet Mallarmé, painters Claude Monnet, Maurice Denis and many other famous artists of the time. The residence of one who was also secretary of the National Music Society is mentioned by Stéphane Mallarmé in one of his "Loisirs de la Poste": «Stop, porter, at the sound/ Gémi par les violoncelles, / It’s at Monsieur Ernest Chausson’s, / 22 Boulevard de Courcelles».
The main role of the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in France is to strengthen French-Lithuanian relations in the political, economic, commercial, military, scientific and cultural fields and to contribute to Lithuania’s influence in France.
Since 2 August 2019, the Ambassador of Lithuania to France is H.E. Mr. Nerijus Aleksiejūnas.
Info+:
Free visit. Registration required via the form https://tinyurl.com/yha3uhp7 or by email rsvp.lituanie@urm.lt before September 15, 2023 (please indicate the full names of all those present during the visit).
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