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The Užupis Bill of Rights

Originally posted at LiveJournal on Jul 2, 2009

Sveikinu is Vilniaus, Lietuvoje!  Greetings from Vilnius, Lithuania!  We arrived late yesterday night, and my brother and I spent the night with our aunt.  Today our cousin Gita walked with us around the Old Town--the architecture is very Baroque, and uses a lot of red tiles and bricks.  We had lunch at a place called Belmontas.  It's kind of a resort, with a spa and a few restaurants, but it's very Old-World style.  Cold borscht soup and herring, anyone? 

Then, with our family from Colombia, we walked around the district of Užupis  which considers itself an independent republic.  It has its own constitution, which is quite interesting:
*  *  *

Everyone has the right to live by the River Vilnelė, while the River Vilnelė has the right to flow by everyone.

Everyone has the right to hot water, heating in winter and a tiled roof.

Everyone has the right to die, but it is not a duty.

Everyone has the right to make mistakes.

Everyone has the right to individuality.

Everyone has the right to love.

Everyone has the right to be not loved, but not necessarily.

Everyone has the right not to be distinguished and famous.

Everyone has the right to be idle.

Everyone has the right to love and take care of a cat.

Everyone has the right to look after a dog till one or the other dies.

A dog has the right to be a dog.

A cat is not obliged to love its master, but it must help him in difficult times.

Everyone has the right to sometimes be unaware of his duties.

Everyone has the right to be in doubt, but this is not a duty.

Everyone has the right to be happy.

Everyone has the right to be unhappy.

Everyone has the right to be silent.

Everyone has the right to have faith.

No one has the right to use violence.

Everyone has the right to realize his negligibility and magnificence.

Everyone has the right to encroach upon eternity.

Everyone has the right to understand.

Everyone has the right to understand nothing.

Everyone has the right to be of various nationalities.

Everyone has the right to celebrate or not to celebrate his birthday.

Everyone shall remember his name.

Everyone may share what he possesses.

No-one can share what he does not possess.

Everyone has the right to have brothers, sisters and parents.

Everyone is capable of independence.

Everyone is responsible for his freedom.

Everyone has the right to cry.

Everyone has the right to be misunderstood.

No-one has the right to make another person guilty.

Everyone has the right to be personal.

Everyone has the right to have no rights.

Everyone has the right to not be afraid.

Do not defeat.

Do not fight back.

Do not surrender.

*  *  *

Tonight is the first part of a Song and Dance Festival.  This is also a very special year for Lithuania, because it is the 1000th anniversary of the first written mention of the country's name.

Viso gero! All the best!
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