We cordially invite you to participate at the events of Sugihara Week, which will take part in Kaunas during September 2-8.

Sugihara Week, organized on September 02-08, 2017 for the first time, is the event which aims to perpetuate the memory of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara. This personality lived in Kaunas (Lithuania) during 1939-40 and, together with Dutch Consul Jan Zvartendijk, issued the famous „Visas for Life“, thus saving thousands of lives of Jewish refugees.

Ambassador of Japan in Lithuania Mr. Toyoei Shigeeda states: „Consul Chiune Sugihara becomes more and more famous worldwide, and I am really glad that the commemoration of his deeds finds more ways of expression. It is very symbolic that this wonderful initiative of Sugihara Week came from Kaunas, which is the centre of all the story of Sugihara.“

According to the Kaunas Deputy Mayor Mr. Simonas Kairys, „Although the Sugihara Week is organized for the first time, it has already attracted huge attention in Lithuania and Japan. It is incredible to see what a connection is established between such different and distant countries. During the Week, Kaunas will be visited by many honorable guests from Japan, including the delegates of Japanese Diet, Gifu Prefecture and the representatives of mass media.” Vice-mayor cordially invites residents of Kaunas and city guests to plan their time to enjoy the big variety of free events.

In the program, musical concerts, symposium, film screenings, public lectures, exhibitions, workshops, etc., are planned in various spaces of Kaunas.

“Sugihara Week invites Lithuanian, Japanese and Jewish nations to join together, and to reiterate the story of Sugihara in the new light. Artists of different nations will meet together in joint projects, and scholars will discuss in the authentic spaces of interwar Kaunas”, Dr Aurelijus Zykas, head of the Centre for Asian Studies of Vytautas Magnus University, one of the organizers of Sugihara Week, argued.

Together with the central topic of Sugihara, other topics, such as the visible marks of Japan in Kaunas, discourses on humanism and tolerance, aspects of Japanese culture will be presented.

Organizers and partners of the event: Kaunas City Municipality, Vytautas Magnus University Centre for Asian Studies, Sugihara Foundation “Diplomats for Life“, Embassy of Japan in Lithuania, Kyumeikan Kendo Dojo, Salon „Jaukūs Namai“, HOF Hotel, etc.

Program of Sugihara Week

September 1, Friday
18.00 Before the Sugihara Week starts…
Participants: Keiko Borjesson, Bella Shirin, Antanas Stanevičius.
Location: Salon Jaukūs namai (Cosy homes), A. Juozapavičiaus av. 21

September 2, Saturday
15.00 Street Performances Expressing Japanese Culture
Participants: AURA Dance Theatre, Kyumeikan Kendo, Baltic Improvisation Ensamble “Skaidrumos”, Skaidra Jančaitė, martial arts organizations, etc.
Location: Daukanto str.

15.45 Photo Collage by International Centre of Litvak Photography
Participant: Richard Schofield
Location: Daukanto str., in front of Metropolis Hotel

16.45 Opening of the Exhibition of Japanese Fairy-tales
Participants: Kotryna Šešelgytė
Location: V. Kudirka Library, Laisvės av. 57

18.00 Opening Concert
Participants: Keiko Borjesson, Choir “Varpelis“, Bella Shirin, AURA Dance Theatre.
Location: VMU Grand Hall (Daukanto str. 28, Kaunas)
Presenting the collected funds to the Sugihara House

September 3, Sunday
10.00 Chiune Sugihara Kendō Tournament
Participants from Lithuania, Europe and Japan
Location: Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto str. 6

17.00 Movie “Persona non Grata” Screening
Location: Temporary Hall of Romuva Cinema, Kęstučio str. 62

September 4, Monday

10.30 Starting Ceremony of Sugihara House Painting by Tokon International, Press Conference
Location: Sugihara House (Vaižganto str. 30)
Presenting of collected funds to the Sugihara House
16.00 Public lectures “Diplomatic Kaunas”, “Traces of Japan in Kaunas”.
Participants: Ramūnas Janulaitis, Sugihara Foundation
Aurelijus Zykas, Centre for Asian Studies, Vytautas Magnus University
Location: Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library-Museum, Daukanto str. 25

September 5, Tuesday

15.00 Opening of the Photo exhibition “If I Forget You, Jerusalem”
Participants: Antanas Stanevičius
Location: M. K. Čiurlionis museum, Putvinskio str. 55

16:00-16.40 Performance about Chiune Sugihara
Conducted by: Kyrie Oda and Love Hellgren, dancers
Location: Kaunas Train Station, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 16

17:00-17.40 Japanese tea ceremony
Conducted: Raimonda Strazdienė, Kyumeikan Kendo School
Location: Inner garden of HOF Hotel, Maironio str. 21A
Opening of Bonsai Exhibition

18.00-19.30 Concert of Classical Music
Participants: Machiko Takahashi (flute), Yurina Arai (violin), Reina Shibutani (violin),
Aki Maeda (piano), Kotryna Kaklauskaitė (piano)
Location: Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy, V. Čepinskio str. 5

September 6, Wednesday

12.30-15.50 Sugihara Symposium
Participants: Hajime Furuta, Yukio Murase, Masanori Kaneko, Simonas Kairys, Asta Junevičienė, Akira Kitade, Bella Shirin, Simonas Strelcovas, etc.
Location: M. K. Čiurlionis Museum (Putvinskio str. 55)
16.00 Screening of the Documentary about Chiune Sugihara.
Participant: Director Junichi Kajioka, delegations from Japan
Location: M. K. Čiurlionis Museum (Putvinskio str. 55)

September 7, Thursday

12.00-13:00 Japanese Kites Festival
Participants: Wadaiko Daigen-gumi, etc.
Location: J. Dobkevičius Progymnasium, V. Čepinskio str. 7
Opening of Haiku Exhibition of Lithuanian Children

14.30-15.30 Workshop of Japanese Drums
Participants: Wadaiko Daigen-gumi
Location: Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy, V. Čepinskio str. 15

15.00-18.00 Arts and Crafts Fair
Participants: Prefectures and municipalities from Japan, Lithuanian companies exporting to Japan, etc.
Location: Lobby of the VMU Grand Hall (Daukanto str. 28)

15.00-19.00 Workshops of Japanese and Jewish Culture (Calligraphy and stone painting, Bonsai, Japanese songs, Sencha, Bagels, Jewish music)
Performers: Masanori Kaneko, Kęstutis Ptakauskas, Tetsuya Hayakawa, Ruriko Kikuchi,
Etsu Oda, Makiko Hayashi, Bagel Shop, Rakija Klezmer Orkestar, others
Location: Lobby of the VMU Grand Hall (Daukanto str. 28)

September 8, Friday

11.00 Opening the Calligraphy Exhibition
Participants: Keiko&Friends
Location: Salon Jaukūs namai (Cosy homes), A. Juozapavičiaus av. 21

14.00-17.00 Workshops of Japanese Culture (Japanese sweets, Origami, Harmonica, Kamishibai, Ikebana, Taketombo, Sencha, Japanese Drums)
Atlikėjai: Mr. and Mrs. Okada, Atsushi Niwa, Kazuyo Yamada, Keiko Borjesson, Sumiko
Tamura, Kanji Uchiyama, Kotryna Šešelgytė, Miyoko Toyoda, Kumiko Ando, Keiko Seki, Etsu
Noda, Makiko Hayashi, Daigengumi
Location: : Lobby of the VMU Grand Hall (Daukanto str. 28)

17.30 Wadaiko drums Closing Concert
Participants: Wadaiko Daigen-gumi
Location: VMU Grand Hall, Daukanto str. 28
Official Appreciation Ceremony