Major Challenges | Parallel flows of emigration (since the 1990s) and immigration (esp. with EU-accession in 2004); increase of immigration and facing a transforming, multicultural environment; increase in xenophobia attitudes (especially towards immigrants, refugees, Muslims and Roma). |
Main Interpretations | No generally accepted concept existing yet; to raise awareness on the advantages and problems associated with multicultural cooperation in order to emphasize its positive contribution to Lithuanian culture; realize equal opportunities for all living in a multinational country. Promote "openness" of Lithuanian culture (often Europe-oriented). |
No general authority, but special importance of:
The Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad under the Government
(http://www.tmid.lt/)
Implementation body for the government policy on national minorities in Lithuania. In implementing that policy, the Department assesses their needs, drafts international treaties on the protection of rights and the integration of persons belonging to national minorities.
EX: Award "For Ethnic Tolerance" aimed at encouraging journalists to present objective information about national minorities in the media.
The Department is also a (co-) founder of several public institutions which all realise projects promoting tolerance and multiculturalism, e.g.
The Department also co-operates with the Regional Councils for the Protection of Ethnic Culture and with the municipalities, such as Vilnius City Municipality:
EX: National Minority Culture Support Programme, financing urban cultural initiatives of national communities.
Policies:
The Lithuanian Centre for Human Rights
(http://www.lchr.lt/)
EYID-coordination body:
Ministry of Culture
(http://www.lrkm.lt/)
Responsible body for preparation and implementation: European Culture Programmes Centre (ECPC) (http://www.durys.org/)
National Implementation Strategy: http://ec.europa.eu/culture/eac/dialogue/strategies_en.html
Ministry of Culture
(http://www.lrkm.lt/)
Special cultural programmes and education plans to activate ICD in regions with a large national minority population.
Policies:
Council for the Protection of Ethnic Culture
(http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter/w5_show?p_r=877&p_k=2)
The notion of ‘ethnic culture' is an important issue for the Lithuanian State authorities, see also Law on the Principles of State Protection of Ethnic Culture (1999, amended in 2006). In 2003, the Government approved the State Programme for the Development of Ethnic Culture aimed at establishing priority directions for the research, preservation and dissemination of ethnic culture.
Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009
(http://www.vilnius2009.lt/)
Lithuania is the first of the new EU member states to receive this title, which resulted in the creation of this public institution by the Vilnius City Municipality and the Ministry of Culture. Vilnius shall be presented as a ‘city open to people, cultures and innovation' - as a model where culture is a part of modern life and to promote cultural and community participation in establishing a culture within a modern European society.
Ministry of Education and Science
(http://www.smm.lt/)
Policies: National Education Strategy 2003-2012, providing for the preservation of national identity, improvement of study conditions for children of national minorities and additional attention to the educational needs of small national communities.
The Government Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad (see 1.)
Support for informal education and for the establishment of Saturday and Sunday schools (Polish, Tatar, Russian, Romanian, Greek, Jewish, Armenian, Chechnyan) to enable national minorities to learn their native language and to study various disciplines in their native language.
Education Development Centre
(http://www.pedagogika.lt/)
Responsible for producing and implementing the national curriculum and methodological guidelines for implementation; provides educational monitoring; designs models for educational development.
EX: Action research in bilingual education; Participation in the Befrienders International project ‘Reaching Young Europe' (pilot project together with Denmark)
Centre for Stateless Cultures at Vilnius University
(http://www.statelesscultures.lt/eng/main.php)
Provides research and training dedicated exclusively to national minorities that have no sovereign status. (Lithuanian Karaims, Tatars, Roma, Yiddish). Twofold goals are academic progress for its own sake, and the beneficial result for society, as students should be empowered to foster tolerance and respect towards the stateless people of Europe and to reject and repel prejudice and stereotyping.
Department of Youth Affairs under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour
(http://www.socmin.lt/)
Policies: The White Book on Higher Education (1999) provides state "support to European integration which allows young people to develop international and intercultural cooperation"; highlights "intercultural cooperation" as the right of young people to choose cultural individuality.
Lithuanian Youth Centre
(http://www.lvjc.lt/)
Largest Lithuanian institution for children and youth; non-formal education and leisure organization subordinate to the Ministry of Education with workshops, groups, and events for Vilnius inhabitants.
Lithuanian Youth Council
(http://www.lijot.lt/)
Non-governmental umbrella structure for Lithuanian national and regional youth organizations.
Lithuanian Children's Fund (Liekuvos Vaiku Fondas)
(http://www.lvf.lt/)
Department of Physical Education and Sports
(http://www.kksd.lt/)
There is no clear positioning / programme / action related to the topic. ICD Initiatives come mainly from ethnic communities or international agencies (UEFA, EU etc.)
Civil Society (EX):
Roll on!
(http://www.riedek.lt/)
This roller skate club organises not only sports and environmental events, but also communication and cultural dialogue; the organisers were responsible for the CRITICAL MASS events in Vilnius.
Ministry of Social Security and Labour
(http://www.socmin.lt/)
Policies: The Long-Term Economic Development Strategy of Lithuania until 2015 provides for the promotion of social integration of risk groups into the labour market.
Office of Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson
(http://www.lygybe.lt/en)
Supervision of the implementation of the Law of Equal Opportunities (1999) - one of the first to be passed in Central and Eastern Europe - and investigating complaints relating to direct discrimination based upon (...) racial or ethnic origin, religion or beliefs. Close cooperation with NGOs.
First Roma Internet Website: http://www.roma.lt/
Provides useful and comprehensive information on services, rights, training, project resources, Romany culture in Lithuania and abroad. The website has been sponsored by the Dutch Embassy.
CIVIL SOCIETY (EX):
Many non-governmental organisations - including the national minority organisations - are active in strengthening the civil society, e.g.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(http://www.urm.lt/)
Bilateral agreements regarding neighbourly relations and cooperation with Poland, Byelorussia, Ukraine, the Russian Federation and Hungary; agreements of cooperation in the fields of culture and education with many European countries.
The Lithuanian Institute
(http://www.li.lt/)
