" It is a pleasure to welcome the guests of the 5th World Litvak Congress and the members of the Jewish community of Panevėžys. Panevėžys has been a multi-ethnic and multicultural city for a long time, and the Jewish community played an important role not only in the life of the city, but also in the entire region. In some periods of history, Jews in the city of Panevėžys constituted an extremely significant part and actively participated in the city's economic and service sectors. A larger Jewish community was formed in the city in the XVIII th century. Thus, the contribution of the Jewish community to the development of Panevėžys, especially its transformation into a modern city, is special, and their heritage still functions in our daily life in various forms," said Žibutė Gaivenienė, Deputy Director of Panevėžys Municipal Administration.

Members of the World Litvak Congress visited the Panevėžys Yeshiva building, the former synagogue, the memorial plaque to Benjamin Zuskin, the cemetery of Jewish victims, paid tribute to the victims of the Holocaust at the "Sad Mother of Jews" memorial, etc.

On May 23-26, the 5th World Congress of Litvaks is being held in Lithuania, during which reports are read, discussions are held on the fight against anti-Semitism, the history of Litvaks, education and other relevant topics. The visits are made to places where Jewish communities once lived.