While on a state visit to Finland, President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus made a speech at a luncheon hosted by the Mayor of Helsinki Mr. Jussi Pajunen in the City Hall.

The President talked about Finland and Lithuania as close partners and neighbours united by deep historical links which had evolved into close cooperation in the recent decades, with active student and academic exchanges between universities, rapidly growing economic ties, intensifying cultural and people-to-people contacts.

"Lithuania's belonging to the Baltic Sea region is an integral part of its identity which explains our aspiration to cooperate with Nordic countries, to support each other and to come up with common positions on a wide range of issues. This is our family, and it is our duty to build a prosperous future for everyone in this family," the President said and expressed hope that key milestones for reaching the common goals important to both Finland and Lithuania would be defined during this visit.

The President underlined the importance for Lithuania and other Baltic states to take over the best practices of the Nordic countries. "We highly welcome the new initiative of the European Union in the field of innovations, namely the establishment of Knowledge and Innovation Communities which would bring together research and business actors as partners. Lithuania is very much interested in cooperation with Finland in the field of new information and communication technologies, particularly with Helsinki, a city famous for its achievements in research and innovations," the President said. Lithuania's President proposed to build knowledge and innovation communities together and enhance cooperation in the most advanced fields of science and in business sectors.

The President said he would be visiting Turku during this visit, a city where Finnish and Lithuanian histories intertwined nearly four centuries ago when the Lithuanian and Polish Princess Catherina Jagellonica married Duke John of Finland.

In the City of Hall, President Adamkus was decorated with the Medal of Honour of the City of Helsinki.