Lithuanian Olympic Movement celebrates two significant anniversaries : the 20th jubilee of re -established Olympic Committee and the 85th jubilee of the first steps of Lithuanian athletes at the Olympic Games

Valstybės gyvenime būna datų ir įvykių, kurie nepasiduoda užmarščiai nuolatos primindami apie save. Tai amžininkų laiku padaryti žingsniai, kurių svarbumą tikrina istorija. Kalbant apie Lietuvos olimpinį sąjūdį, tokie yra 1924 metai, kai mūsų šalies sportininkai pirmąsyk tapo lygiaverčiais tarptautinio olimpinio sąjūdžio nariais. Pirmasis oficialiai įteisintas faktas tapo vienu svarbiausių argumentų, kai po ilgų okupacijos dešimtmečių ryžtingai nusprendėme grįžti į pasaulio olimpinę šeimą, bet privalėjome iš naujo įrodinėti neginčijamą, istorijos mums seniai duotą moralinę ir juridinę teisę. Kita reikšminga mūsų olimpinio sąjūdžio gairė – 1988 metai. Tai Lietuvos tautinio olimpinio komiteto (LTOK) atkūrimo metai. Turėjome žengti labai drąsų ir rizikingą žingsnį, atlaikyti Maskvos spaudimą, įveikti daugelį kliūčių, peržengti psichologinius barjerus. Supratome elementarią tiesą: pirmiausia be šio sprendimo negalėsime žengti ir kito svarbaus žingsnio, sakyčiau, siekti svarbiausiojo tikslo, t. y. visų mūsų teisių atkūrimo tarptautiniame olimpiniame sąjūdyje, mūsų pripažinimo. Simboliška yra tai, kad beveik viena po kitos eina dvi jubiliejinės, dviejų minėtų reikšmingų įvykių, datos: šiemet – 20 metų, kai buvo atkurtas LTOK, o 2009‑aisiais – 85‑eri, kai lietuviai su savo šalies vėliava debiutavo olimpinėse žaidynėse Paryžiuje. Dvi įpareigojančios sukaktys. Privalome prisiminti tolesnės praeities ir pastarojo laikotarpio darbus, „inventorizuoti“ nemenkus mūsiškių laimėjimus ir, žinoma, pažvelgti į priekį. Sportininkų laimėjimai, garsinantys Lietuvą, visuomet buvo savotiška šalies vizitinė kortelė, o kartu – didelė šventė, džiugių emocijų šaltinis. [...]Each state has such dates and events in its history that do not respond to oblivion with constant allusions about themselves. These are the actions of contemporaries which importance history has responsibility to prove. The year 1924th, when talking of Lithuanian Olympic Movement, take their importance as Lithuanian athletes first became equal members of International Olympic Movement. This officially legalized fact became one of the most important arguments when, after long occupational decades, Lithuania have decided to come back to Worlds’ Olympic family. This moral and juridical right was provided by history and it had to be argued over as unchallenged idea. 1988th is another date so much important for the Olympic Movement of Lithuania. These are the years of re-establishing Lithuanian National Olympic Committee (LNOC). Then LNOC had to make very risky and brave step forward: to sustain Moscow pressure, to carry through many barriers, including psychological aspects also. Elementary true was realized: the Committee will not beable to make another important step – renewing its rights in International Olympic Movement and recognizing it as an equal partner - if it does not make this one. It is symbolic that LNOC has two meaningful anniversary dates in a row: this year is the twentieth jubilee as LNOC was re-established and 2009th – the eighty fifth jubilee when Lithuanians first stepped at Paris Olympic Games with their national flag. So there are two obligating anniversaries. Now society has to remember all the proceedings that were made in the distant and near past, to “inventory” no mean winnings of athletes and, of course, to look to the future. Victories of our athletes that proclaim Lithuania’s name have always been a particular visiting-card and huge feast, the basis of joyful emotions. In 1988, during the re-establishing of Lithuanian National Olympic Committee, despite the facts that Olympic Games is the most distinct and the biggest expression of Olympic Movement and preparation for it is one of the very main LNOC tasks, LNOC realized that youth will not tend towards the Olympic ideals without implementation of Olympic education programs. So, depending on it, the Declaration of the Convention and the Resolution has discussed these problems widely. 70 schools presently participate in the experiment on implementing Olympic education programs. Teachers of physical education are very active and efficient in it. Olympic festivals for schoolchildren, of which 25 thousands take part, give a new content and format to sport activity of children and youth. One of the exceptional statements of the Olympic Charter says that “national Olympic committees have to defend their autonomy and resist any pressure, including political, religious and economic aspects of it”. LNOC aiming at being economically independent had to solve one of the most difficult problems – finding money to finance Olympic programs. One of the main sources became Olympic lotteries, the other – sponsors and the third one – subsidies of International Olympic Committee. Olympic committees of USA and Italy do not get any direct financial support from government. LNOC is the third such Committee in the World! Pier de Coubertin realized the connection between Olympic Movement and chivalry. LNOC pays a lot of attention for this connection too. The most eminent Lithuanian pedagogues and athletes - Algirdas Šocikas, Povilas Karoblis, Danas Pozniakas, Birutė Kalėdienė, Vladas Vitkauskas, etc. – are the laureates of the International Fair Play Committee. So LNOC has created the organization that works already for 20 years and unites Olympic sports federations. The main it’s seat is situated on Olimpiečių street that is named after Olympians who, during the period of independence, have won 4 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze Olympic medals. LNOC itself funds participation of athletes at the Olympic Games. LNOC serves Lithuania’s sport and is glad that during the period of 20 years has reached such results that are appreciated in Lithuania and in the whole World