Dear Fellow Professors and Lecturers and all the Faculty staff!
Our dear students!
Our esteemed guests!
On this warm and beautiful day at the beginning of autumn, we are here because we have something in common. And despite the fact that we may have different perspectives and experiences, we are all united by Vilnius University. We are all united by Vilnius University Faculty of Law. Faculty that is one of the oldest in Vilnius University and that dates back to 1641, when the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, Vladislovas IV Vaza, granted a privilege to start law studies at Vilnius University. The King’s privilege was confirmed on 11 October, so we will soon celebrate the 383rd birthday of our Faculty. Let us remember this date.
Let us remember the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Leon Casimir Sapiega, whose foundation gave rise to a third faculty at Vilnius University – the Faculty of Law. The symbols of the Sapiega family embroidered on the flag of our Faculty, or the Sapiega auditorium at the Faculty of Law, are a testimony to the respect for our origins and our traditions. But we still have a lot to do here too. We still need to recover and commemorate the Nobel Prize winner Česlovas Milošas, the only student of Vilnius University to have received such recognition, who graduated from the Faculty of Law. We must also pay tribute to the other members of our community who not only read but also believed that ius est ars boni et aequi – law is the art of goodness and justice.
The British politician and philosopher Edmund Burke has said that tradition is like a bank of wisdom accumulated by previous generations, to which we can turn whenever we don’t know what to do. The wisdom of our ancestors and the traditions we have inherited must not only be collected, but also respected and cherished. The history of the Law Faculty shows that this is not easy – tradition is broken, trampled on and displaced. For example, at Vilnius University and at the Law Faculty, studies have been forcibly interrupted on several occasions, but have been resumed and continued. And although history is a great teacher, let this historical excursion be justified by the words of Vincas Kudirka’s National Song: “From the past, may your sons draw strength.”
Today, it’s clear that studying law at our faculty is the perfect choice. This is confirmed not only by the recent evaluation of science and studies, but also by the insights of social partners. We are happy and proud of our teachers, but we are equally happy and proud of our students. At the Faculty of Law, you will learn not only from the best, but also with the best.
Now I turn to you, dear first-year students. I am here to praise you, to congratulate you and to thank you. Praise because if you are here, you have done a lot in your relatively short life. That you are really ready to start your law studies. I want to congratulate you on the fact that we have been one of the most popular study programmes in Lithuania for a long time now and that so many young people choose to study law with us. I want to thank you for coming here, for wanting to join the legal community, and for believing that we will be good guides for you to reach the heights of a legal career. And not only us – we have links with many universities abroad, where you will grow not only as lawyers but also as citizens of a free country and a united Europe.
Dear students! I want to wish you something. I wish you to spend every day in such a way that at the end of it you know that it was not in vain. That you grow and become better. That you will be a person that everyone will be proud of – your parents and us, your teachers.
My sincere thanks also to those who help you achieve your dreams. First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to all my teachers. Your professionalism, your passion for what is truly a difficult job and your dedication to your students are the cornerstones of our success. Without your inspiration and continuous efforts, our students would not be where they are today. You are the ones who are shaping our generation of young lawyers, inspiring them to think critically, to be fair and truthful. I believe that the words “justice and truth will always be with us” chanted during the Vilnius University student march are inspired by the sincere work of you, my dear teachers.
I would also like to thank the administrative staff. Your diligent daily work, which often goes unnoticed, is crucial in enabling us all to function smoothly and harmoniously. Your efforts, your dedication and your smiles create an environment in which students can grow, learn and achieve their goals.
I would like to conclude by wishing all our community success and togetherness. May each new day be filled with discoveries, challenges and achievements. Together, let us build a future in which the law becomes the true art of goodness and justice. My beloved writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry said: “If you want to build a ship, don’t make people gather wood, don’t give them tasks and work, but teach them to long for the endless sea.” Together, let’s sail into the distance. Let us go to the stars together: Hinc itur ad astra!
Happy start of the study year!