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Traditional Runway Run 2024 marked Lithuania’s 20th anniversary in NATO 

Traditional Runway Run 2024 marked Lithuania’s 20th anniversary in NATO 

On April 13 the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai hosted the unique Runway Run 2024 event in celebration of Lithuania’s 20th anniversary as a member of NATO. 

Approx. 10000 servicemember of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and NATO Allies, members of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, representatives of the town and Lithuanian nationals ran the 3 km distance of the runway of the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai to mark the anniversary and demonstrate Allied solidarity.

The first of the annual events took place in 2013 when Lithuania celebrated its 9th NATO anniversary. Then the approx. 200 participants from the Lithuanian Armed Forces and other institutions were joined by the Danish Royal Air Force airmen conducting the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states from Šiauliai.

The core mission of t NATO, a defensive Alliance of 32 members, is to ensure freedom and security of its 32 members by political and military means.  Lithuania completed the lengthy road to membership and joined the democratic alliance on 29 March 2004 which gave us security assurances and we have been contributing to NATO’s collective activities of international security with concrete action as well. 

Photo and info credits: Lithuanian Air Force