A Meaningful Performance
The Lithuanian Section received a special gift from their home country - a monodrama by the Panevėžys Drama Theatre entitled “Living Rooms Scented with Gingerbread.” Pupils and teachers from both the primary and secondary cycles attended the performance whenever possible.
The play is based on Dainora Urbonienė’s book “Siberian Exile Through a Child’s Eyes.” The author was only nine years old when she experienced Soviet repression during the years of occupation. Her story is a powerful historical testimony, and for students it is always more engaging to learn how major historical events affected real people rather than simply reading facts in textbooks.
Today, the author is 94 years old. Although she was unable to come to the school, her daughter, Rasa Juknevičienė, attended the event. She shared her mother’s memories and wished both students and teachers a peaceful life, expressing hope that the events described in the book would never happen again.
In June, Lithuanians will commemorate the Day of Mourning and Hope, honouring the victims of Soviet repression.
