Be2gether music and art festival coordinators introduced a new social movement, Green2gether, at Sereikiškių Park on Wednesday. In light of the initiative, this year‘s festival will focus on the environment – the distribution of grass seeds is a message for all to restore what we‘ve used up.
Each and every one of us should have a look at how much harm we’ve caused to the environment and try to restore it. It’s almost like eat and lose weight. If we created a path by treading on it, let’s scatter some seed and water it; if we catch a fish, leave some minnows as food; if we broke a branch for a campfire, let’s plant a tree, even if it’s under our window,” says Robertas Skiauteris, Green2gether concept author.
Prominent entertainment world, business and sports representatives who support the idea and will contribute to its implementation have already joined in Green2gether. Among the first Green2gether participants were musicians Viktoras Diawara, Aistė Smilgevičiūtė and Giedrė Kilčiauskienė, Investors’ Forum Executive Director Rūta Skyrienė, actor Saulius Balandis, medal winner in the World's Strongest Man competition Žydrūnas Savickas, and Vilnius Town Hall’s master of ceremonies Saulius Pilinkus.
Be2gether’s ideological leader, Giedrius Klimkevičius, holds that a social movement begins when a person comprehends its relevance in his or her everyday life. “Only after taking realistic action can we evaluate its importance. Let’s be honest – we don’t take care of what we don’t plant ourselves. For instance, most of us live in homes near which people park their cars on the grass. It’s difficult to change urban planning, but to plant a flower under a neighbour’s window and surprise him is easy,” says Klimkevičius, who has already distributed grass seed within Lithuania’s borders and beyond.
During the Green2gether event, bags of grass seed will be distributed with the intent to urge everyone to restore at least a small part of what we take from nature. Much attention will also be given to rubbish sorting and ecological transportation. Be2gether coordinators will invite all attending the festival to travel to the event with air pollution in mind and will suggest using bicycles, hitchhiking or filling all available seats in cars. The festival’s website will have a separate area where people will be able to find friends or passengers for travelling to Norviliškės, and to inform people about unoccupied seats in their cars.
“We want this to be a long-term movement which will not end with the festival, but grow into other good initiatives. Let’s be in touch with nature every day,” stated Klimkevičius.
Green2gether ideas will also be promoted at the festival itself, which is to take place on August 14-17. Grass seed will be distributed, rubbish sorted, and the festival will advocate the use of ecological products, as well as finding inventive ways to make those which harm the environment last longer. Be2gether coordinators invite various companies, organisations and all those who want to make Lithuania a green country to join in Green2gether.
The festival Be2gether is a unique event on the Eastern limit of the European Union, in Norviliškės, just 50 meters from the Lithuanian-Belarusian border which separates democracy and the remnants of totalitarian past.
Be2gether is an initiative supported by the Lithuanian ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture. It has also full support of the major European Union institutions. Vice-president of the European Commission, Margot Wallström, and the Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner sent their greetings to the organizers and participants of the festival.
For more information:
Eglė Remeikaitė
Festival Communications
Tel.: +370 622 56382
E-mail: egle@b2g.lt, press@b2g.lt
www.b2g.lt
