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On the eve of the big holidays, Lithuanians are urged to stop. This is the main call of the campaign The Hour of Silence and Solidarity for all: stop and think, expressing solidarity with those for whom this pandemic has been a period of loss or hardship.
The National Center for Coordination of Voluntary Aid “Strong Together” and the Association of Municipalities of Lithuania, which started the campaign just before the big winter holidays, will symbolically invite the Lithuanian people from 19:00 to 20:00 on 23 December. Turn off festive decorations, turn off Christmas tree lights, and honor direct and indirect victims of COVID-19.
An hour of silence and solidarity
“Rising infection rates, appalling death statistics, a cry for help from desperate doctors are a sign that we cannot remain indifferent. The real reality is that it is now vital to stop.
Realizing that this is necessary and mandatory today is equivalent to defending the country, the homeland, protecting and rescuing our fellow citizens, helping to rescue doctors, officials, volunteers and all those who are fighting the pandemic in various ways ” says the National. Edmundas Jakilaitis, the initiator of the “Strong Together” volunteer aid coordination center, the commander of the Union Rifle Owl Squad.
By agreement of the initiators of the campaign, the country’s neighbors were invited to “stop” on December 23. 7 p. M. At 8 p. M. The illuminated decorations of the central Christmas trees in all Lithuanian municipal cities will be turned off.
With this call, a similar action is expected by supermarkets, businesses, all institutions and public bodies, companies and all the people of the country.
“If the images of hospitals, requests and emergencies from all sides do not affect us much, I invite you to simply look around you and look at the faces of those around you in this hour of silence and concentration. After all, it is so simple: we must stop for ourselves and for them. This is a personal responsibility of each one of us, feeling and taking the appropriate measures, we will help those who fight for us in the front ranks of the pandemic front: doctors, police, social workers and many others ”, says Mindaugas Sinkevičius, president of the Association of Municipalities.
Stop: now it’s a matter of life and death
All residents of the country are invited to stop and reflect at this time. An important highlight of the symbolic hour of silence and solidarity, the first minute of which will be a minute of silence to honor both the deaths from COVID-19 and the indirect victims of the coronavirus, people we have lost in large part due to health problems or others. Due to the circumstances caused by the pandemic, they did not receive quality medical care on time or it was limited.
Along with the expression of solidarity, the campaign “The hour of silence and solidarity” should also stimulate reflection on those who are unwilling or unable to abandon the rhythm of normal life.
“Certainly there are those who still have plans and illusions to supposedly break the quarantine order safely, leave home during the holidays and visit relatives, gather at the common table as usual. Now is not the time to do this; In the current circumstances, it would be more reminiscent of walking on thin ice, taking with us those we love.
After all, in some municipalities, death rates, most of which were due to indirect victims of COVID-19, have doubled. As a result, irresponsible behavior without stopping is like self-deception or even against the people of your country. With this campaign, we invite everyone to think very seriously, ”explains E. Jakilaitis.
According to the Department of Statistics, to date, Lithuania has lost 972 citizens who died from COVID-19, and hundreds more deaths are indirectly related to the pandemic. The numbers are growing.
Let’s stop!
LSA information.
Photo by A. Reipa
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