FiDi – Physicist’s Day
FiDi – Physicist’s Day – a celebration of students of the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University, was first organised in the spring of 1969. Initially, the celebration was seen as a platform for active youth’s self-expression. Gradually it became a forge of the Faculty students’ dynamism and creativity, a way to build the community of alumni and physicists, to promote mentoring. The students-initiators strived for their own celebration, the organisation of which would include all members of the Faculty’s community but would avoid an involvement of the then obligatory “patrons” – the communist youth organisation and the professional unions.
Due to an ever-changing student community, FiDi acquires new features of artistic expression, technical solutions and management every year. A week-long celebration is packed with events – a day of humour, a scientific conference, various exhibitions. Moreover, the celebration has its newspaper Fidilas. Main events usually take place on the first Saturday in April. In the daytime, the Fizlend (Physicists’ Land) Amusement Park hosts the Fidists’ showcase of everything they have built over the year: diverse devices ranging from fun ones to those illustrating the laws of Physics. The evening is dedicated to the concert and a variety of unexpected entertainment.
The march along the streets of the city led by a huge green dinosaur, which has become one of the heralds of spring, is the sign Vilnius residents associate with FiDi. The procession’s idea stems from the myth of the dinosaur and the maiden philologist. Indeed, this story ended sadly for the philologist – Dinas Zauras (Dinosaur) swallowed her. Thus, for a number of years thereafter he, now his son Minas, travels from the Faculty of Physics in Saulėtekis Alley to the Faculty of Philology in the Old Town to repent.
FiDi events not only bring together the university community, but also have great educational significance: students and educators are invited to participate, and attention is paid to global environmental issues. In addition to the hosts, the students of other VU faculties, representatives of other higher education institutions, townspeople and guests take part in the celebration. The alumni of the Faculty always attend the annual gathering, often bringing together families, accompanied by children and grandchildren.
Submitter – the Alumni Society of the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University, 2021
Tradition bearers – FiDi organising committee, FiDi veterans, students of the Faculty of Physics of Vilnius University