Baltic Way relay runners set off from Vilnius

Participants in the 35th Baltic Way international relay race set off from Vilnius on Friday, LRT reported.

The start took place in Cathedral Square, where the Baltic Way human chain began 37 years ago. In 1989, millions of people in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia joined hands in a peaceful expression of their desire for freedom.

The relay route will cover about 650 kilometres through all three Baltic states.

A traditional cycling tour called Memory Trail also began in the capital on Friday afternoon, departing from the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights. The tour is dedicated to commemorating Europe Day and the victims of Stalinism and Nazism.

On August 23, 1939, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union divided Eastern Europe in a secret pact. The agreement led to the occupation of the Baltic states.