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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-25 Daily Xml
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LITHUANIAN WORLD SPORTS FESTIVAL

Ms CICCARELLO (Norwood) (16:03): On Saturday 28 February I was very pleased to attend a very special occasion at Lithuanian House in Norwood. The celebration was organised by the Adelaide Lithuanian Sports Club, Vytas, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Lithuanian participation in the Third Lithuanian World Sports Festival held in Adelaide in 1988. Special guests at the function were the President of the Lithuanian Olympic Committee, Mr Artures Poviliunas and the General Secretary Mr Vytautas Zubernis who came to Adelaide from Lithuania to acknowledge and honour members of the organising committee of the 1988 games in Adelaide whose initiative and foresight would have important ramifications for Lithuanians around the world.

In 1938 in Kaunas, Lithuania, 16 sporting competitions were staged to mark the first National Lithuanian Games held in independent Lithuania. The games attracted more than 2,000 Lithuanian sports persons from around the world and were eagerly watched and supported by Lithuanians everywhere. Two years later, in 1940, Lithuania was occupied and lost her identity by being incorporated into the Soviet Union. However, the people of Lithuania's inherent love of sport in representing their country was not lost, and the games were revived by Lithuanian immigrants and their children. The games would be held under a new guise, the Lithuanian Sporting Festival, to be organised by Lithuanians living in countries in the free world.

The first of these games was held in 1978 in Toronto, Canada; the second in Chicago in the United States; and the third world games were held in Adelaide in 1988. Subsequently, they have been held every four years. But what made that date of the Third Lithuanian World Games so important and the reason for the celebration was that the organising committee, remembering the significance and importance of those first national games held 50 years before, issued an invitation to the Lithuanian government to 'please send a game to participate if at all possible'. It was with some surprise but great pleasure that the local committee in Australia was advised that Lithuania had agreed to send a team to Adelaide under the care of Mr Artures Poviliunas, who was then President of the Lithuanian committee and who since has held the title for 21 years, in addition to being a member of the European Olympic Committee.

Once again and with great pride after 50 years, Lithuanians were able to represent their country as Lithuanians and not as or part of a Soviet team. For the first time in 50 years Lithuanian sports' persons would be identified and celebrated as Lithuanians. Lithuania has always had deep sporting traditions which are maintained not only in Australia but also in countries all over the world. The objectives of the world games are intended to help Lithuanians of all ages not only to compete in many sporting competitions but also to participate in cultural events, which help maintain their ties and traditions to their homeland.

This year is very significant for the Lithuanian community, not only is it celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Third World Games but this year (2009) sees the millennium of Lithuania—1,000 years of nationhood, and it does not finish here. Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, has been designated as the European capital of culture, and many thousands will travel not only to Vilnius for the many cultural events but also to participate in the Eighth Lithuanian World Sports Festival to be held in June this year.

I congratulate the committee members who were awarded by the Lithuanian government through the President and Secretary of the Olympic Committee and to the current President of Vytas, Aldona Bagusauskas and her committee, whose commitment keeps the traditions alive in Adelaide, and to the many members of the Lithuanian community who continue to distinguish themselves not only in sport but in all facets of community life. They can be justly proud of their club, which also houses a wonderful museum. It is a great credit to them, which helps to highlight the history and the tradition of the Lithuanian community not only in South Australia but also in their homeland.

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