You are cordially invited to the opening of the exhibition

“From the future Vilnius Jewish Library collection”

The event will be held

at 4 PM, on Thursday June 10 at the Lithuanian Culture Research Institute at Saltoniškių St. 58, Vilnius

Brief words of greeting will be delivered by:

♦ Petras Auštrevičius, Member of Seimas

♦ Wyman Brent, book collector: “The idea behind the Vilnius Jewish library”

♦ Dr. Simonas Alperavičius, head of the Jewish Community of Lithuania

♦ Aage Myhre, Norwegian architect, journalist, philanthropist and socially engaged activist living in Lithuania for 20 years:

“From a bridge builder’s notebook”

♦ Professor Dovid Katz, director of the Litvak Studies Institute: “Books as Symbol of Jewish Vilna”

♦ Pranas Morkus, scriptwriter, journalist, essayist

Wyman Brent, a book collector from San Diego, California has fallen in love with two things: the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and Jewish culture. The result of those two loves is a dream about the Vilnius Jewish Library, which is about to become reality. Wyman has brought to Lithuania a collection of over 5000 items, consisting of books on Jewish culture, arts, history, religion and other fields, CDs and DVDs. Books in diverse genres by famous Jewish authors are also included. The collection is constantly growing not only because of personal Wyman’s investment, but also because donors, collectors, authors and cultural institutions from all over the world support the idea of the Vilnius Jewish Library. Now, only a small part of the collection is presented in the current exhibit. Wyman is determined to dedicate the rest of his life for the Vilnius Jewish Library project and finally to build it to around 200 000 of books in different languages. He firmly believes that once the library opens its doors, that supporters from different countries and descendants of Lithuanian Jewry (Litvaks) internationally will keep going a continuous flow of literary, artistic and informational valuables to the one-time “Jerusalem of Lithuania”. It is hoped that the library will help to lay positive foundations for future generations, for creative mutual enrichment of nations and cultures, for humanism, tolerance and the irrevocable spread of fundamental human values, starting with the friendship between peoples.

♦Moderator: Žilvinas Beliauskas

For further information call Žilvinas Beliauskas at +370 687 76625 or email him zilvinas@zilvinas.be

EVERYBODY WELCOME!