This
year, 30 years pass since the historic day when nearly two million people
gathered together to create a 600 kilometers long Baltic Way across the three
Baltic states. Standing hand in hand, they expressed their shared desire and
aspiration for freedom. The organizers of the Baltic Way were political
organizations of the three Baltic states: Rahvarinne in Estonia, Tautas Fronte
in Latvia and Sajūdis in Lithuania.
Vabamu's Baltic Way exhibition creates a sound and memory landscape by giving voices to people's memories and personal stories. The exhibition is dedicated to the immense potential of unity, cooperation, and care, and forms an exceptional space of memory. Each guest is welcomed to think about the relevance of this historic day and contemplate on personal responsibility within society.
“Thirty years ago, Estonians, Latvians, and Lithuanians stood hand in hand and proclaimed their right for freedom through this peaceful protest. United belief in independent Baltic states, even though seemingly absurd at first, brought along the wave of independence in Eastern Europe," told Keiu Telve, the Executive Director of Vabamu. “We need to remember this sense of unity Estonians felt thirty years ago. The same kinds of responsibility, determination, and courage are required today to protect freedom on an everyday basis," Telve believes.
The Baltic Way exhibition opens in a 100-meters long dim corridor of Telliskivi Creative City. Until now, the exhibition space has been unused and inaccessible to the visitors of the Creative City. The room itself adds a visual layer to the exhibition that speaks about freedom - it brings guests back to Soviet times. The experience-based exhibition allows visitors to become part of the historic day through clips of video and sound that carry memories of participants in the Baltic Way - memories of elated waiting, standing in the middle of fields and forests, on a pathway to home, singing together and feeling the sense of belonging. Another layer is added to the experience by sound clips of international media coverage of the protest in 1989. In addition to the experience-based exhibition, bilingual poster exhibition is planned, which can easily be printed out and exhibited in both Estonian Embassies and schools all over the world.
The exhibition opens at Telliskivi Creative City on 23rd of August, the same day that 30 years ago continuous human chain went across the three Baltic States.
