Day of Mourning and Hope Commemorated by Lithuanians in Canada
Events were held in six Canadian cities to commemorate the Day of Mourning and Hope - the mass deportations from Lithuania and other Baltic states carried out by Russia on June 14, 1941. Lithuanian communities in Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Hamilton, Edmonton and London participated in the initiative "Memory Cannot Be Exiled" and read the names and fates of Lithuanian people deported by the Russian occupiers.
In Canada's capital, Ottawa, the Day of Mourning and Hope event took place at the Memorial to the Victims of Communism, which was unveiled last November. The names of the deported were read by diplomats of the Lithuanian Embassy, members of the Lithuanian Canadian Community, and Ottawa Lithuanian community. Following the "Memory Cannot Be Exiled" initiative, a joint event was held near the memorial by the Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian communities and the embassies of the three Baltic states to honor the victims of the mass deportations..
Speaking at the event, Lithuanian Ambassador Egidijus Meilūnas noted that Russia, which has sought to destroy the Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian, and other nations since the 18th century, has not changed and remains a country of barbarism and incomprehensible cruelty in the 21st century. "However, we have changed; we are strong in our unity, which Russia fears the most. Therefore, we will continue to join efforts with like-minded countries and strengthen our support for Ukraine," said the ambassador.
The "Memory Cannot Be Exiled" initiative was held in Canada for the first time.
