Vilnius, June 19, 2025 — The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Republic of Lithuania held a solemn ceremony to award the medal “30 Years of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan,” dedicated to two significant dates: the anniversary of the Assembly and the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Political Repressions, commemorated annually on May 31.

The high honor, awarded on behalf of the Chairman of the Assembly – President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – was bestowed upon Lithuanian citizen and native of Kazakhstan, Professor Algis Višniūnas. A public figure, architect, and researcher on the topic of repressions, he has made a notable contribution to the development of cultural and humanitarian ties between Kazakhstan and Lithuania, as well as to the preservation of historical memory related to deportations and labor camps where Lithuanian citizens served sentences.

The ceremony was attended by members of the Seimas of Lithuania, representatives of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the Lithuanian community in Kazakhstan “Litvanika,” and the Kazakh diaspora in Lithuania “Nursaulė.”

In his congratulatory remarks, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Lithuania Timur Urazayev emphasized that the Assembly’s medal symbolizes the recognition of the contributions of Kazakhstan’s friends to the strengthening of interethnic peace, harmony, and historical dialogue. He also recalled the words of the Head of State, spoken on May 31 in Astana: “We must remember the names of the innocently repressed… but we cannot live constantly in the past… The past must not become an obstacle to development and progress.”

Professor Višniūnas expressed deep gratitude to the Chairman of the Assembly for the high appreciation of his work. He recalled his participation in the humanitarian expedition “Mission Siberia” and in academic projects studying the history of Lithuanian deportees in Kazakhstan.

Member of the Seimas Emanuelis Zingeris sincerely thanked the Kazakh side for its long-standing attention to historical memory and for its respect for the tragic pages of shared history.

During the event, Professor Višniūnas also presented two of his new books published in 2025: “Kruvina Kengyro Istorija” (“The Bloody History of Kengir”) and “Alkanoji Stepė” (“The Hungry Steppe”).

Participants of the event reaffirmed their commitment to close cooperation in the name of building trust for a peaceful future.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-vilnius/press/news/details/1020838?lang=kk