News

On 10 July 2013, on the occasion of the commencement of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the Lithuanian Statehood Day, the screening of the documentary "The Other Dream Team”, directed by Marius Markevicius was held in Tel Aviv. “The other dream team” is the incredible story of the 1992 Lithuanian basketball team, whose athletes struggled under Soviet rule, became symbols of Lithuania's independence movement, and – with help from the Grateful Dead – triumphed at the Barcelona Olympics. For Lithuania as a newly liberated country this basketball victory has become the proof that Lithuania deserves to be on the map of the independent countries.

After the screening a discussion with the audience took place. The participants of the discussion involved the Deputy Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Gediminas Kirkilas, chairman of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club Shimon Mizrahi, the Israeli Basketball Legend Tal Brody, and the two stars of the film Sarunas Marciulionis and Sergejus Jovaisa. During the discussion, the special significance of Lithuanian basketball in its history was emphasized. Also, the attention was drawn to the similarities of the two small states (Lithuania and Israel) in the basketball history and other areas.

The documentary film "The Other Dream Team" was of the great interest in Israel, numerous guests came to see the film in Tel Aviv. On 17 July the documentary will also be screened in Jerusalem and on 30 July in Haifa.

On the same day, the Lithuanian Parliamentary delegation visited a famous Jewish Lithuanian writer Icchokas Meras who after serious surgery is being treated in the rehabilitation center. Lithuanian delegation on the behalf of the Parliament extended gratitude to I. Meras for his contribution in strengthening ties between Lithuanian and Jewish people.