Finally, after fifty years of Soviet occupation, Adamkus returned to his motherland and became the president of the Republic of Lithuania in 1998, serving for two terms (1998-2003 and 2004-2009). Even at the age of 92, Valdas Adamkus still continues to rank as one of the most influential political figures in Lithuania.

Karolina Savickytė.

Chronologically, January, February and March include some of the most significant events for Lithuania – Freedom Defenders’ Day, Restoration of the State Day, Restoration of Independence Day. Mr. President, what do each of those dates mean to you, especially because you have been perceived as the person who has connected two epochas of independent Lithuania?

Both the February 16 and the March 11 in a moral and spiritual sense are very similar. February 16 marks the daywhen the Council of Lithuania unanimously adopted the Act of Independence in 1918, declaring Lithuania an independent state. The March 11 was the day that Lithuania declared itself independent from the Soviet Union in 1990. There is only one difference; the February 16 inspired and united people, who, despite very difficult circumstances, still cherished love and focused on creating their own state. Comparatively, the March 16 commemorates the restoration of Lithuania after the long fight against occupation which lead to its coronation with receiving independence. It showed that our nation, in the first phase of its independence (from 1918 till 1940, Ed.), was able to rear the strongly patriotic younger generation, who took the strength from their parents and built the state of Lithuania on a firm, moral