It’s a tradition unlike anything else on Earth: every year on July 6, Lithuanians scattered across all continents stand still, wherever they are, and sing their national anthem together, creating a two-minute global chorus that unites the nation.
This unique ritual, now in its 16th year, yesterday brought together Lithuanian communities in over 150 countries. From the windswept deserts of Mali to the remote islands of Vanuatu, the Lithuanian anthem rises simultaneously, transforming a simple song into a breathtaking symbol of unity and identity.
“There are only four million of us in the world, but we’re everywhere,” says Raimundas Daubaras, who founded the tradition in 2009 to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Lithuania’s first mention in historical records. “Our shared history, our struggles, and our unbreakable love of freedom all come together in that one moment when we sing. It reminds every Lithuanian that they are never alone.”
Lithuanians sing on every continent, in nearly every country, proving that no matter how far they’ve traveled, their voices can find each other. This year, the global anthem began at EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan, where July 6 was officially declared Lithuania’s National Day, giving the tradition an international stage and adding new layers of meaning to an already extraordinary event.
This year, the singing of the anthem was dedicated to honoring one of Lithuania’s most renowned artists, Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, as the nation marks the 150th anniversary of his birth. In a symbolic gesture of respect, 150 Lithuanian communities around the world united their voices.
“M. K. Čiurlionis brought together music, color, homeland, and the universe into a harmonious whole through his work. His remarkably forward-thinking views on art, politics, religion, and society at the start of the 20th century resonate strongly with the values we hold dear today. He saw Lithuania not as a mere patch of land on a map, but as a culturally rich whole that connects like-minded people everywhere. That’s exactly what we aim to remind ourselves of each year with the ‘National Anthem Around the World’: that no matter where we are, we are all Lithuania,” says R. Daubaras.
