Dalai Lama to get street in Kaunas

KAUNAS, Lithuania — The Dalai Lama may soon have a square or street named after him in Kaunas in a sign of solidarity for his nation of Tibet.

Kaunas already has a square named after Chechnya, the troubled federal subject of Russia in the north Caucasus that continues to try and break away from Moscow. However, the move to honor Tibet puts Kaunas at odds with the Lithuanian national government, which passed a resolution not to recognize Tibet to as a gesture of [private_supervisor]friendship toward China, with whom the Baltic state is trying to foster trade ties.

“While reflecting on the fact that Vilnius has a Tibetan name for one of its squares, we are offering to make one of Kaunas’ street name for Tibet on the Dalai Lama’s behalf. Kaunas and the freedom loving people in the city make this gesture, again to show our support for freedom seeking nations,” Kaunas mayor Andrius Kupčinskas said.

The city is still debating which part of the city could be renamed. The Dalai Lama visited Kaunas in 2001.

Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius already has a square unofficially named after Tibet in the Užupis neighborhood, something Sajūdis founder Vytautas Landbergis tauted this week. There’s no signage indicating this, though and the square is little more than an unkempt forested area alongside the small Vilnelė River. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]friendship toward China, with whom the Baltic state is trying to foster trade ties.

The city is still debating which part of the city could be renamed. The Dalai Lama visited Kaunas in 2001.

Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius already has a square unofficially named after Tibet in the Užupis neighborhood, something Sajūdis founder Vytautas Landbergis tauted this week. There’s no signage indicating this, though and the square is little more than an unkempt forested area alongside the small Vilnelė River. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]friendship toward China, with whom the Baltic state is trying to foster trade ties.

The city is still debating which part of the city could be renamed. The Dalai Lama visited Kaunas in 2001.

Lithuania’s capital city of Vilnius already has a square unofficially named after Tibet in the Užupis neighborhood, something Sajūdis founder Vytautas Landbergis tauted this week. There’s no signage indicating this, though and the square is little more than an unkempt forested area alongside the small Vilnelė River. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]friendship toward China, with whom the Baltic state is trying to foster trade ties.

The city is still debating which part of the city could be renamed. The Dalai Lama visited Kaunas in 2001.

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