More pictures from the Social ans Sports Day
Video from the Social and Sports Day
A sports day was arranged at the multinational Exercise Amber Hope 2011 at the Pabradės Training Area on June 18. Lithuanian and international military personnel competed in military obstacle courses and tug-of-war relay, mini football matches and street basketball. The sports day at the Pabradės Training Area was visited by one of the most famous Lithuanian basketball players, Linas Kleiza, and Žydrūnas Savickas, who is considered to be the world's strongest man.
Žydrūnas Savickas was met with huge applause; the holder of 53 world records said the secret of his strength lies in one main reason - believe in yourself and the task you are doing. Later on, the strongman refereed the final tug-of-war match and presented the prize to winners of the tug-of-war and military obstacle course matches.
In his sports day address, Linas Kleiza congratulated the Exercise participants and thanked Lithuanian soldiers for their service: "This is a great honour to be here with you. Thank you for your service to our homeland," said Kleiza. Together with the senior representative of the Canadian contingent for the Exercise, Mr. Kleiza presented Mr. Kevin Hamilton, chargé d'affaires from the Office of the Embassy of Canada to Lithuania in Vilnius, an autographed basketball signed by all of the members of the "Toronto Raptors," where Mr. Kleiza is currently playing, and other souvenirs provided by the Canadian service members. The gifts will be auctioned off by the Office of the Embassy of Canada to Lithuania, and money donated to local area children's charities. Mr. Kleiza concluded his visit by watching the street basketball finals together with Exercise participants, and awarded the winning team.
Soldiers participating in Amber Hope exercises presented the guests with ribbons symbolising solidarity with the armed forces, and displayed various weaponry and military equipment used in the Exercise by Lithuanian and international participants. On completion of official events, both Kleiza and Savickas had to spend quite a bit of time taking pictures and signing autograph.
In the military obstacle race relay, Lithuanian troops were unmatched in pushing a truck, carrying a casualty and coping with other obstacles. Winners included the Engineering Platoon (third place) the "opposing forces" team (second), and first place was won by a team from the 1st multinational battalion (MB), which consisted of members from the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Mechanised Infantry Battalion. The team from the 1st MB Estonian Company won third in the tug-of-war match, second place was won by the 2nd MB of King Mindaugas Mechanised Infantry Battalion, and representatives from the Algirdas Battalion representing the 1st MB proved to be the best again.
Third place winners of the mini football match were Algirdas Battalion's team (1st MB), Finnish troops from the 2nd MB won second, and the Lithuanians (Mindaugas Battalion) were the winners. Winners of the street basketball tournament include the Lithuanian team from the Engineering Battalion (third place), Lithuanian Visitors and Observers Bureau's team (second place) and the Algirdas Battalion (1st MB) came in first place.
Following the sports events, international participants were invited to take a guided tour in Vilnius and familiarise themselves with the culture, history and sites of Lithuania. Meanwhile, Lithuanian troops were also readying for crisis response operations, the second phase of Amber Hope 2011, which will take place from June 19 to 23.
Amber Hope 2011 is taking place simultaneously in both the Pabradės Training Area and the territorial waters of Lithuania in the Baltic Sea. More than 2,000 military and civilian personnel from seven NATO countries, and two PfP countries are participating in this year's exercise. Observers were delegated by the armed forces of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova and Ukraine.
The goal of Exercise Amber Hope 2011 is to enhance cooperation among the military divisions of the Partnership for Peace and NATO countries while training to take part in joint crisis response operations, and strengthen military cooperation between NATO and partners of the Alliance. Amber Hope 2011 will also improve and evaluate readiness of the Lithuanian Armed Forces to deliver Host Nation Support to incoming forces.
Lithuanian Armed Forces have been organizing Amber Hope exercises since 1995, with the last series of the exercise being held in Klaipėda in 2007. This year, the Exercise is organized and conducted by the Joint Headquarters of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Pictures by V. Džiavečka, L. Bratikas and A. Juozulevičius
For more information about the Exercise:
http://kariuomene.kam.lt/en/ah11.html
www.facebook.com/GintarineViltis
The points of contact for Exercise Amber Hope 2011 are:
In the Pabradės Training Area – Capt Mindaugas Neimontas, Head of Media Operations Section, cell phone 00370 640 45 380, e-mail neimontas@gmail.com
In Klaipėda – Capt (N) Antanas Brencius, cell phone 00370 698 18196, e-mail antanas.brencius@mil.lt
