Exclusive VU Conference Will Open the Lithuanian Season in France
An exclusive academic conference organised by Vilnius University and Sorbonne University will open the Lithuanian Season in France, which will be launched on 12–13 September in Paris. The speech by Vilnius University’s Rector, Prof. Rimvydas Petrauskas, will mark the start of the event, signifying an important stage in the cooperation between the two countries.
Prof. Petrauskas’ presentation "Nuo paskutinės viduramžių karalystės iki modernios demokratijos: Lietuvos kelias į Europą" ("From the Last Medieval Kingdom to Modern Democracy: Lithuania’s Road to Europe") will open the event, which will bring together top-level researchers and political leaders. This will be followed by a presentation by Professor Céline Spector of Sorbonne University on "Natural and Sacred? Human Rights and Enlightenment’".
"Vilnius University has been entrusted to open the Lithuanian Season in France. The conference will be organised together with Sorbonne University. It is very important that the Season starts with an intellectual discussion about our cultural and historical links and experiences, as well as opening up the possibility of a long-term partnership with a world-class university," says the Rector of Vilnius University.
The opening session will take place at the Grand Amphitheatre (Le Grand Amphithéâtre de la Sorbonne) of the Faculty of Humanities of Sorbonne University, where the French and Lithuanian representatives will also give welcoming speeches. A joint musical performance of choirs from Sorbonne University and Lithuania will refine the event experience. During the conference, a cooperation agreement will strengthen the ties between Vilnius University and the prestigious Sorbonne University.
The conference "Lietuva ir Prancūzija: tolima kaimynystė, bendra patirtis" ("Lithuania and France: a distance neighbourhood – a shared experience") will take place at the Faculty of Humanities at Sorbonne University in Paris. It will address phenomena of mutual interest and recognition for both countries. The main topics will include the Enlightenment, the culture of modernity, and the role of imagination in it, as well as historical memory, which is important for both Lithuania and France as creators of European values.
On 13 September, three academic debates will be held, bringing together researchers from Vilnius University and Sorbonne University to explore the common experiences and exchange of ideas between the two countries.