35th Anniversary of Baltic Way: Global Commemorations Begin

Global Events Honor 35th Anniversary of the Historic Baltic Way Protest

From Helsinki to Washington, a wave of cultural events revives the spirit of 1989's human chain. Discover how art and music keep this historic protest alive today.

Global Events Honor 35th Anniversary of the Historic Baltic Way Protest

Events across Europe and beyond will mark the 35th anniversary of the Baltic Way this summer and autumn. Commemorations include exhibitions, concerts, and ceremonies in cities like Helsinki, Athens, and Washington. The celebrations honour the historic 1989 human chain that stretched across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in a peaceful push for independence.

In Helsinki, the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat will host the Baltic Way 35 photo exhibition throughout August. On 23 August, the embassies of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania will also present a pop-up musical performance in the foyer of the Sanomatalo building. The Latvian-Finnish choir Ziemeļmeita will sing Atmostas Baltija, a song linked to the 1989 protest.

On the same day, Washington will see a formal commemoration organised by the Baltic states' embassies to the USA. Meanwhile, in Bergen, Norway, a concert titled *Your Heart is Your Home* will take place at 18:00, featuring multiple choirs and an address by Latvia's ambassador to Norway. In September, Athens will display 56 documentary photographs from the archives of all three Baltic countries. The exhibition is supported by the association *Creative Ideas* and funded by the EU's *Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV)* Programme. Later that month, Prague will host the international exhibition *BALTIC WAY - UNITED FOR FREEDOM* from 16 to 29 September. Berlin will follow on 7 November with a joint event by the Baltic embassies in Germany. In October, Paris will gain an information plaque about the Baltic Way, installed through cooperation between the embassies of Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania to France.

The series of events will highlight the Baltic Way's role in the struggle for independence from Soviet rule. Exhibitions, performances, and plaques will ensure the 1989 protest remains visible in public memory. Organisers have scheduled activities in multiple countries to reach a wide audience.