Yesterday students who are studying in Vilnius were invited to join, not the first time organized, Blood Donation Day. This time it has become a grand event because not only the majority of the ESN sections in Vilnius united for the common purpose but on the same day the action took place in Kaunas and Šiauliai as well.

Blood donation campaign’s goal is to draw public attention to the lack of blood donors in Lithuania and encourage young people to become more involved in this voluntary activity.

​The best thing was that not only compatriots participated in the event, but also foreign students who are studying in Lithuania actively involved themselves too. They were extremely active as wanted to encourage other by showing their example of becoming donors in Lithuania. When asked do they are afraid to give blood for the first time, almost everyone answered that they are not afraid to do this and event they are doing this not for the first. Students encouraged and supported each other, so the results was amazing: in 6 hours 40 students donated blood - most of them – foreigners.

The event was divided into two parts and the students had the opportunity to choose the convenient time of arrival to Blood Centre by the bus. The first group came at 12 AM (there were over 50 students) and the second – 15 PM.

Visitors were greeted by not only the organizers but also had a chance to take part in well prepared an interesting program, were invited to have some refreshments. Participants had the opportunity to play table football, various table and movement games, join guided tours of the blood center, contributed to the picture painting, which later was left as the memory in Blood center. They even watched the movie "Blood Road"! Also, each participant was awarded not only with the gifts of the sponsors but got some presents from their universities.

Vilnius must be proud of this success of the event when vast majority of the sections contributed to the project: ESN VGTU, ESN VU, ESN MRU Vilnius, LEU ESN , ESN VDA, ESN ISLB.

After the event, everyone was invited to come to the Responsible party which was organized by the ESN members in University's pub and urged young people to have responsible celebrations.

We hope that this will become an annual event and more ESN sections in Lithuania will join this beautiful idea in the future!

by Viktorija Mažonaitė, ESN LEU