Folk groups from Lithuania took part in the international folk festival EUROPEADE in Sweden
On the 5-9st of August nine Lithuanian folk dance groups, ensembles and choirs participated in the international folk festival EUROPEADE, which was held in the Swedish city Helsingborg.
EUROPEADE is the largest annually held international folk and cultural festival in Europe. This year 249 folk groups from all over the Europe participated in the festival.
Participants of the festival from Lithuania were welcomed by the Lithuanian Ambassador to Sweden Eitvydas Bajarūnas alongside by local Lithuanians living in Sweden.
According to Ambassador Bajarūnas, it is a wonderful feeling to see so many Lithuanian dancers and singers in the streets of Sweden presenting rich cultural heritage of Lithuania.
Klaipėda children musical school troup SUBATĖLĖ, Palanga cultural center for the elderly dance ensemble BOČIAI, VELIUONIETIS from Veliuona town, ensemble VĖLINGIS, folk dance group NERIS from Lithuanian capital - Vilnius, SKUDUČIAI from Gargždai, MINGĖ from Klaipeda, collective DAGILĖLIS from Ukmergė, and POMŪŠIS from Pakruojis participated in an intense festival program.
EUROPEADE began with the idealism of the late Mon De Clopper (1922-1998), the founding chairman of the Movement for Flemish Folk Culture (the Vlaamse Volkskunstbeweging, VVKB).Together with several fellow members of the VVKB, he organised the first EUROPEADE in Antwerp in 1964. It brought together Flemings, Dutch, English, French and Germans as well as Ukrainian, Yugoslavian and Polish exiles to perform their traditional songs and dances in traditional costume.
Mon De Clopper led the festival for a long time. The festival took place in many European countries, while in 2009 the participants were warmly welcomed in Klaipeda - Lithuanian Baltic sea port.
