The traditional Vilnius fair, accompanied by a rich artistic programme, will take place in Gdańsk for the 18th time. It will be accompanied by a rich artistic programme including literary meetings, concerts, exhibitions, discussions, film screenings and handicraft workshops.

Vilnius in Gdańsk / Vilnius Gdanske is an interdisciplinary cultural festival that has been organised jointly by the twin cities of Gdańsk and Vilnius for eighteen years. The event includes a traditional Vilnius fair and many artistic events. This year's edition of the festival will be held from September 3 to 5.

The artistic director of the Vilnius Festival in Gdansk is dr Tomasz Snarski from the Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Gdańsk. - 'The Vilnius in Gdansk Festival, of which I am honoured to be the artistic director, not only has a rich cultural programme but is also an important place for discussion and exchange of views, including with the academic community. I am delighted that Professor Maria Mendel has also accepted our invitation to participate in the festival this year. We will continue last year's conversation about the pedagogy of place, about what our cities, including Gdańsk and Vilnius, teach us. In addition, we will broaden the reflection with new threads in the research work she is undertaking, around a book edited by her entitled "Eduspectres. Things and places haunted", recently published by the University of Gdańsk Publishing House. We will certainly look for these "eduspectres" between Gdańsk and Vilnius, and what these two cities symbolically represent. A perfect extension of this theme will be a meeting with the author Tomasz Grzywewaczski around his wonderful reporter's book entitled "Erased border. On the trail of the Second Polish Republic" ', says dr Tomasz Snarski.

Multiculturalism will be an important motto of this year's festival. The organisers will try to show the multicultural face of Vilnius. - 'I think that in a world torn by conflicts it is important to show a different perspective, based on dialogue and intercultural community. In Gdańsk, values such as openness, tolerance and respect for every human being are particularly important. Vilnius, in turn, is an example that the coexistence of different cultures is not only possible but also necessary. On the one hand, in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in the Republic of Poland, we will present exhibitions devoted to Lithuanian Tatars. On the other hand, the Jewish band from Vilnius Fajerlech will perform on our stage. We are therefore showing different faces of Vilnius as a city of many cultures, including Lithuanian, Polish, Jewish, Tatar, and Karaite,' adds dr Tomasz Snarski.

As part of the Vilnius in Gdańsk festival, the Regional and Municipal Public Library will also host an exhibition of photographs titled Czesław Miłosz's Returns to Lithuania, including a particularly symbolic photo, which captures Wisława Szymborska, Gunter Grass, and Czesław Miłosz in one frame.

- 'This year, the festival enjoys the support of many partners, including many Polish media from Lithuania. We especially value the cooperation with the Znad Wilii quarterly and the Kurier Wileński magazine. During the Vilnius in Gdańsk festival, you will be able to get acquainted with a wide range of contemporary Vilnius publications, including prose and poetry, as well as participate in author meetings, including with Barbara Szczepuła, Aleksander Jurewicz, Birute Jonuškaitė, Maria Duszka, Józef Szostakowski or Romuald Mieczkowski,' encourages the festival's artistic director.

Another important part of the festival is the Emigra Film Festival. The Film Café W Starym Kadrze will host film screenings and discussions with filmmakers. The organisers will also not forget about Gdańsk residents born in Vilnius, extensively cooperating with the Pomeranian Branch of the Vilnius and Vilnius Land Society.

- 'I would also particularly like to highlight the participation of Sister Michaela Rak from the Blessed Father Michał Sopoćko Hospice in Vilnius. Sister Michaela will speak about the work and everyday life of the hospice. In this way, we want to support the hospice and the whole hospice idea based on the most beautiful values, such as mercy and solidarity. I am a volunteer and co-worker of the hospice in Vilnius myself. I know how important every support, even the smallest one, is,' persuades dr Snarski.

A particularly interesting part of the programme will be the Vilnius Fair, which will include workshops on making Vilnius palms and concerts by contemporary Lithuanian bands.

- 'Our festival unites cultures and nations. We connect Poland and Lithuania, Gdańsk and Vilnius, Lithuanians and Poles, but most of all we connect people. When Tomas Venclova received an honorary doctorate from our University, he told me that multiculturalism is a moral task. I hope that through the Vilnius Festival in Gdańsk, we contribute to its fulfilment,' - he concludes.

Below is a detailed programme of the festival.