446th Birthday of VU: Inauguration, Special Performances, Exhibition of Skarga’s Academic Attire, and Other Events

On 1 April, Vilnius University (VU) will mark the 446th anniversary of its establishment. On this occasion, VU invites its community and the public to participate in various festive events, both traditional and specially dedicated to this anniversary.

One of the highlights of the festivities is the solemn inauguration of Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas as the Rector of Vilnius University. In addition, a special lecture, “The Legendary Toga of Petras Skarga and the Oriental Pattern Cloak”, will be delivered by Assoc. Prof. Miglė Lebednykaitė. In this lecture, you will learn about one of the exceptional values of Lithuanian cultural heritage – the academic attire of the first Rector of Vilnius University, Petras Skarga, symbolising the beginning of the history of Vilnius University.

An Exceptional Exhibition

On 1–2 April, Vilnius University community and the public will have a unique opportunity to see some elements – the pelerine and the biretta – of the academic attire of the first Rector of Vilnius University, Petras Skarga. These historical relics, preserved for over 400 years, were last exhibited together in 1936. Having been rediscovered almost a century later, they will now be presented to the public on a special occasion – the inauguration of Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas as the Rector of Vilnius University.

On 1 April at 11:00, the discoverer of these historical relics, Assoc. Prof. Miglė Lebednykaitė, Head of the Ethnography and Anthropology Division of the National Museum of Lithuania, will deliver the lecture “The Legendary Toga of Petras Skarga and the Oriental Pattern Cloak” in Vilnius University Theatre Hall. The audience will hear about the search process of Petras Skarga’s academic attire, the research conducted, and the unexpected discoveries made.

Another unique event is an art and science project, installation-performance “U”, which will take place on 3–5 April, starting from 20:00, in the Grand Courtyard of Vilnius University. Artist Akvilė Anglickaitė and her team will create an installation of light, sound, and street art, inspired by the Foucault pendulum. The performance will feature a choreographed skateboarding sequence immersed in light, with live music provided by the VU Wind Orchestra “Oktava”. There will be three performances every evening between 20:00 and 21:30.

 “Scientific Sprint” – a Race of Ideas

This year, the tradition of holding the science communication competition “Scientific Sprint” in celebration of VU’s birthday continues. On 27 March at 18:00, the “Artistai” pub will host 14 teams consisting of lecturer and student pairs. In just three minutes, each team will have to present their research or idea in an appealing and engaging way.

Participants will be judged by a commission composed of scientists and communication experts. Three teams with the highest scores will share the EUR 1,000 prize established by “Thermo Fisher Scientific”.

This year, teams from the Faculties of Medicine, Physics, Philology, Philosophy, Chemistry and Geosciences, Kaunas Faculty, and the Life Sciences Center will be participating. The participants of the competition will analyse the challenges of radiation protection of children, the importance of quantum diamonds in medicine, technology, and informatics, the role of the hippocampus in neuronal change, artificial intelligence, climate change, and many other topics that are of great importance and relevance today.

The Exhibition of Martynas Mažvydas’ “Catechism”

On 1 April from 10:00 to 19:00, Martynas Mažvydas’ “Catechism” will be on display in the P. Smuglevičius Hall of VU Library. This tradition allows the public to become acquainted with the first printed book in the Lithuanian language; only two copies are known to exist, one of which is stored in the Library of VU.

In addition, the VU Foundation is inviting you to join a unique initiative and give a symbolic gift of EUR 4.46 to the VU Endowment Fund as a birthday gift to Vilnius University. The donations will be professionally invested and earn a return so that talented scientists can be supported; the funds are constantly reinvested, thus providing benefits to VU in perpetuity.

On 2 April at 19:00, the event beloved by many storytellers and listeners, Storytelling Salon “Per Aspera ad Astra”, will take place. Hosted by professional narrator Milda Varnauskaitė, this event, held in the VU Aula Parva café “Morgas”, will feature stories about the challenges and successes in science and studies.

On 5 April at 12:00, the VU Life Sciences Center will host an orienteering game where VU community members, city residents, and guests are invited to discover important Vilnius University locations in Saulėtekis. The participants, in teams of up to four people, will have two hours to search for historical sites and collect points. The teams that discover the most places and score the most points will be awarded prizes.

Birthday to Reach Culmination in a Concert

On 28 March at 17:00 and 29 March at 13:00, visitors will be able to explore “The Old Campus of Vilnius University Through the Eyes of an Archaeologist”, whereas on 28 March at 12:00 and on 2 April at 17:00, visitors are invited to get to know the Baroque and Jesuit heritage on the excursion “Saint Johns, Baroque, and the Jesuits”. In addition, on 26 March at 17:00, VU is offering an excursion “19th Century Student Life. Adam Mickiewicz”, and on 27 March at 12:00, visitors are invited to travel “In the Footsteps of Vilnius Romantics”.

On 29 March and 5 April at 11:00, the Asteroid Workshop awaits families with children, inviting the participants to reveal their creativity.

On 29 March at 19:00, the Kinetic Theatre’s production of “Hommo in Maxima” will be held in VU Theatre Hall. This experimental performance explores the transformation of four fundamental value categories following Lithuania’s accession to the European Union, and it analyses how the notions of love, human connection, security, and meaning have changed in modern society. The performance reveals how traditional values are transformed into a model of life dictated by efficiency and productivity.

On 5 April at 18:00, the VU Chamber Orchestra invites you to the concert “Returning Generations”, which will feature works by Antonio Salieri, Franz Berwald, and Joseph Haydn. The concert, dedicated to promoting the unity of the community, will feature both current members of the orchestra and its alumni. The event will take place at St Johns’ Church.

The birthday celebration will reach its culmination on 6 April, with the VU Drama Theatre performance of ‘The Promised’ – a fresh interpretation of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”. The play explores the themes of love, responsibility, and guilt, and its creative team offers an exceptional aesthetic vision, combining modern technologies and classical dramaturgy.

For more information and the programme of the celebratory events, please click here.