Today, the community of Vilnius University, including the VU Law Faculty, celebrated the beginning of the new academic year. Traditionally, this celebration is centred around a large group of first year law students. They and other members of the Faculty community received greetings and wishes from the distinguished guests.
The students who have chosen to study law will have a difficult journey ahead of them and will have to put in a lot of effort, said the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania, Prof. Dr Gintaras Goda. “During these 5 years you will have to learn and understand a lot, you will develop the ability to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong”, he told the audience. The second congratulatory speech was delivered by VU Council member Česlav Okinčic, who invited the first-year students to be proud of becoming part of a highly regarded Faculty.
Andrius Viljamas Gontier, President of the VU Students’ Representation at the Law Faculty, also congratulated the first-year students: “You will gain a lot of knowledge, a lot of experience, a wide range of emotions and, most importantly, you will meet the most wonderful people who will be with you for the rest of your life. I wish you never lose your motivation and your youthful enthusiasm to learn more and do more. Do your best to get involved in the community and activities of the Faculty and the University”.
During the event, the scholarship of “Motieka & Audzevičius” law firm was awarded to Miglė Bernatonytė, the best first-year student. This award was presented by Albertas Šekštelo, the partner and lawyer of the law firm and the lecturer at the Faculty.
The Dean of the Law Fcaulty, Assoc. Prof. Dr Haroldas Šinkūnas, recalled the long history of the Faculty, which has been going on for centuries and has been interrupted several times by violence, where tradition is the wisdom accumulated by generations. “Today, it is clear that studying law at our faculty is an excellent 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 professors, 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”, said the Dean.
At the end of the celebration, the first-year students took an oath to Vilnius University and the Law Faculty, which has been an important tradition for several years now, as a way of expressing respect for the Alma Mater, the state and the justice system, and thus becoming a member of the Faculty community.
On 2 September, in the afternoon, the annual procession organised of the VU community, started from the Parlament. Among the many VU students carrying colourful posters, the chants of the Law Faculty first year students‘ echoed as well.
VU Faculty of Law congratulates you on a sunny start of the academic and study year and wishes you good luck!
