Adamkus thanks Lithuanians for birthday wishes after turning 100

Former Lithuanian president Valdas Adamkus has thanked the public for their birthday greetings, saying Lithuanians are his greatest asset and source of strength, LRT reported Wednesday.

“I am deeply moved by the attention, words of greeting, respect and warmth you have shown me,” Adamkus said in a statement. “Once again, I have been able to see that you, the people of Lithuania, are my greatest asset and my strength in every situation in life.”

Adamkus turned 100 on Tuesday. A conference was held at Vilnius Town Hall, and a formal celebration took place that evening at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. He thanked the organisers, performers, guests, the Vilnius municipal government and everyone who contributed, describing the day as moving and full of spiritual warmth.

Adamkus was born in Kaunas on November 3, 1926. During the war, he took part in resistance activities. In July 1944, he left for Germany with his parents, where he attended the Lithuanian Gymnasium in Eichstätt and met his future wife, Alma. He later studied in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Munich.

He arrived in the United States in 1949 and became active in politics during the 1960s. He was invited to work for the newly established US Environmental Protection Agency and took part in Lithuanian community and political activities abroad. Adamkus was elected president of Lithuania in 1998 and 2004.