(The Self- Declared) Republic of Užupis: "The Other Side of the River"

In a place far far away,  
with an 11 men army, there is a country.
April 1st is their national day, 
and there you can't even find an internet cafe.
It took me all these years to find thee,
On the other side of the river in Užupis.

                                                                                           --- Me

Despite sounding like a total joke, I never gave up my search on a country like this one. While Bono from U2 might still haven't found what he's looking for, I did find everything I needed "on the other side of the river" from Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.

Užupis, which literally means "the other side of the river" in the Lithuanian language, is a neighborhood located on the right bank of the Vilnia river - where the city Vilnius obtained its name from. Originally a run down neighborhood even under the equality - obsessed Soviet regime, Užupis became a refuge for artists and escapists alike following Lithuania's independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. As the process of gentrification took place across the world in Bohemian neighborhoods like Užupis, local residents wanted to say no to all sorts of changes greedy developers were about to bring to "this side of the river".  However, the decision to keep Užupis, well, Užupis, was not (and probably still isn't) 100% up to the wills of the local residents: the neighborhood was (and still is) under the jurisdiction of the city of Vilnius, and Vilnius was (and still is) under the jurisdiction of Lithuania.

A mighty historic cathedral from "the other side of the river". Citizens of Užupis prefer something "local" and "small" rather than a cathedral of this scale and of national importance

Another mighty historic cathedral from "the other side of the river". However, Užupis simply doesn't care

Finally, one day, people were sicken tired of listening to Vilnius and Lithuania, who never really offered any help to the neighborhood beforehand. The people had stood up. The people had announced the establishment of the Republic of Užupis.

Free at last.

A huge "stupa" covered by Tibetan prayer flags

Signs in Lithuanian and Tibetan "Tibet Garden"

The sign at the entrance to Užupis written in Lithuanian and four other languages: Belarusian, Yiddish, Russian, and Polish

However, residents of  Užupis still need a Lithuanian passport to travel around the world - as no other countries in the world recognize the sovereignty "on the other side of the river". They would probably still have to abide the materialistic, capitalistic, and boring laws of Lithuania, and phone a police from Vilnius if they smell trouble. However,  it doesn't mean that you can simply walk into Užupis and snob about how much you know about the Lithuanian law (and believe that the residents there have to consult you regarding their every day legal matter). Behold, here comes the Constitution of the Republic of Užupis: 

1. Everyone has the right to live by the River Vilnelė (Vilnia), and the River Vilnelė has the right to flow by everyone.     

Crossing the Vilnia river into Užupis

2. Everyone has the right to hot water, heating in winter and a tiled roof.     

3. Everyone has the right to die, but this is not an obligation.  

4. Everyone has the right to make mistakes.  
 
5. Everyone has the right to be unique.    

A statue of mermaid along the Vilnia river

6. Everyone has the right to love.   

7. Everyone has the right not to be loved, but not necessarily. 

8. Everyone has the right to be undistinguished and unknown. 

9. Everyone has the right to idle.   

Idling in Užupis

10. Everyone has the right to love and take care of the cat.  

11. Everyone has the right to look after the dog until one of them dies.     

12. A dog has the right to be a dog.   

13. A cat is not obliged to love its owner, but must help in time of nee[d].

14. Sometimes everyone has the right to be unaware of their duties.
 
15. Everyone has the right to be in doubt, but this is not an obligation.    

16. Everyone has the right to be happy.     

Happy life in Užupis

17. Everyone has the right to be unhappy.    

18. Everyone has the right to be silent.   

19. Everyone has the right to have faith. 

20.  No one has the right to violence. 
    
21. Everyone has the right to appreciate their unimportance. [In Lithuanian this reads Everyone has the right to realize his negligibility and magnificence.]   
 
22. No one has the right to have a design on eternity.  
   
23. Everyone has the right to understand.   
  
24. Everyone has the right to understand nothing.
     
25. Everyone has the right to be of any nationality.
     
26. Everyone has the right to celebrate or not celebrate their birthday.
 
27. Everyone shall remember their name. 

28. Everyone may share what they possess. 
    
29.No one can share what they do not possess.

30.Everyone has the right to have brothers, sisters and parents.

31. Everyone may be independent.
     
32. Everyone is responsible for their freedom.

33. Everyone has the right to cry.

34. Everyone has the right to be misunderstood.     

35. No one has the right to make another person guilty.
 
36. Everyone has the right to be individual. 
  
37. Everyone has the right to have no rights.

38. Everyone has the right to not to be afraid.
    
39. Do not defeat.
     
40. Do not fight back. 
 
41. Do not surrender 

A residential block in Užupis

Personally I'm most touched by the first clause of the constitution. The only remaining question is:

When will the river decide to flow past me so I can be "on the other side of the river" permanently? 

Flag of Užupis [From: Wikipedia]