World Earth Day events in Šiauliai educated the younger generation

On March 20, 2025, World Earth Day was celebrated in Šiauliai. This year, young Šiauliai residents were particularly involved. From March 7, an educational activity “Clucking Birds” was held at the Šiauliai Cultural Center, on March 15, Kaštonų Alley was decorated with over 60 birdhouses for birds and bats, and songs dedicated to our planet were sung at the Earth Flag Raising Ceremony held at Resurrection Square. The organizers invited not only to enjoy the beauty of nature, but also encouraged responsible care for all of our homes.
Organizer – Šiauliai Cultural Center. Funded by – Šiauliai City Municipality. Partner – Šiauliai Young Naturalists Center. Events are free.

From March 7 to 19, the first events dedicated to World Earth Day were held at the Šiauliai Cultural Center, where preschool children and students in grades 1–4 participated in the educational activity “Clucking Birds”. Here, over 250 young creators made birds from second-rate raw materials, which became not only a symbol of spring, but also decorated the solemn Earth Flag Raising Ceremony held on March 20 at Resurrection Square with their sounds.

The celebration, which began just before noon, brought together people who care about nature to the main city square – children, youth, teachers, community members, creators and nature lovers. The event began with a solemn Earth Flag Raising Ceremony. This year, the flag was raised by people whose activities are inseparable from nature conservation. Milda Lapinskaitė – a student of the Šiauliai Young Naturalists Center “Young Dog Trainer” club, a talented handler, a prize-winner of international and republican young handler competitions, and a volunteer in animal shelters. Lidija Švenčionienė is also a long-time dog handler teacher at the Šiauliai Young Naturalists Center, who has trained many young handlers for more than a decade, who have proven their abilities 276 times in national and international competitions.

During the event, the winners of the bird and bat nesting exhibition-competition were awarded. More than 60 nesting houses from 17 educational institutions participated in this year’s nesting house exhibition-competition. In the preschool age group, the best was recognized as the nesting house of Dovydas Rimkevičius (Šiauliai nursery-kindergarten “Drugelis”), in the preschool age group – the nesting houses of Šiauliai nursery-kindergarten “Pupų pėdas”. In the group of 1–4 grade students, the birdhouse created by Vytautė Mickūnaitė (Šiauliai Jovaras Progymnasium, 2c grade) triumphed, in the group of 5–8 grade students, the best birdhouse was recognized as the work of Antanas Baltutis (Šiauliai Medelynas Progymnasium, 6m grade), in the group of 9–12 grade students, the birdhouse created by Airidas Venckaus (Šiauliai “Ringuva” School, 9a grade) won. In the group of adults, the birdhouse created by Šiauliai Prison convicts won.

The exhibition-competition of birdhouses and bats can be admired on Kaštonų Alley until March 29, after the exhibition ends, the birdhouses will be displayed in Salduvė and Talkša parks, providing birds with a safe place to hatch their young.

The solemn ceremony of raising the Earth flag was decorated with performances by young performers. The works were donated to the planet and the audience by the vocal studio “Rokoko” of the Šiauliai Cultural Center (artistic director Rasa Kauneckaitė), the music studio “En-den-du” of the Šiauliai Arts School (directors Rūta Stanislava Balsė, Laura Dudnikienė), the vocal group “Mažosios kregždutės” of the Šiauliai Nursery and Kindergarten “Kregždutė” (director Laura Dudnikienė), the music studio “Pop sing” of the Šiauliai Song Progymnasium (director Rūta Stanislava Balsė). The organizers of the event were pleased with the gathering of the audience and performers, their unity in the name of a positive impact on the earth.

The cycle of events dedicated to World Earth Day will conclude on Friday, March 21, at 1 p.m. with a lecture by the “Gyvos Žalios” association “Biomimicry and solutions inspired by nature” at the Šiauliai Cultural Center. What do underground networks of forests, whale communication or beehives tell us and how these principles of nature can help create connections, strengthen cooperation and promote regenerative changes in our environment? An environmentalist, forest therapy guide, co-founder of the “Gyvos Žalios” association, lecturer in Nature Therapy studies at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, creator of natural experiences, and member of the International Society of Forest Therapy (ISFT) – Austė Juozapaitytė-Gruodė will reveal to high school students. The event organizers point out that registration for the lecture is required by tel. +370 678 53 171 or e-mail. vaida.dambrauskiene@siauliukc.lt.

It is hoped that the World Earth Day events not only reminded the people of Šiauliai how important it is to protect nature and nurture its resources, but also showed the way to creating a harmonious balance between humans and the environment.

More moments from the event here.

Photo by Liubov Yarmoshenko.

Information is provided by Vaida Dambrauskienė, Head of the Education Department of the Šiauliai Cultural Center, mobile +370 678 53 171, e-mail vaida.dambrauskiene@siauliukc.lt.