Video: Republic of Uzupis - unrecognized state in the center of Vilnius
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
In the vastness of the former Soviet Union, there are several states at once that do not have international recognition - Transnistria, Nagorno-Karabakh. And the status of Abkhazia with South Ossetia raises many questions. But there is another such state formation, much less known than those listed above - Republic of Uzupis … It is located in Vilnius, in the immediate vicinity of the Old Town.
This miniature country is located almost in the very center of Vilnius, on a small peninsula, outlined by the bend of the Vilnius River. This geographical position is also reflected in the Constitution of Uzupis, the first article of which reads: "A person has the right to live next to Vilniale, and Vilnia to flow next to a person." And the very name "Uzhupis" is translated as "District".
The sovereignty of the state extends over several blocks of historical buildings. In Soviet times, it was a small residential area, sandwiched between the river and industrial enterprises. By the beginning of the 90s, the region found itself in a deep economic and infrastructural depression.
To get out of it, the Republic of Uzupis was proclaimed in 1997, which is positioned by many sources as a Lithuanian version of Parisian Montmartre or Copenhagen Christiania.
The fact is that now Uzupis is an area where several galleries, many creative workshops are located, artists and writers live here. Lives in the District and participates in comic self-government and the current mayor of Vilnius, Arturas Zuokas, is a very extraordinary, I must say, person. Mass events of urban, national and international scale are held here, and the main holiday is Independence Day, which is celebrated on April 1. On this day, a customs post is even set up on one of the bridges leading across Vilniale, where anyone can get a stamp on crossing the state border in their passport.
Well, at the end of this story, let me cite several articles from the above mentioned Constitution of Uzupis: 4. Everyone has the right to make mistakes. 5. Everyone has the right to be one and only. 6. Everyone has the right to love 7. Everyone has the right to be unloved, but it doesn't have to. 9. Everyone has the right to be lazy and do nothing. 10. Everyone has the right to love and take care of a cat. 12. A dog has the right to be a dog. 16. Everyone has the right to be happy. 17. Everyone has the right to be unhappy. 20. No one has the right to violence. 31. Everyone can be free 32. Everyone is responsible for their freedom. 36. Everyone has the right to be an individual. 37. Everyone has the right not to have any rights. 38. Everyone has the right not to be afraid.
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