Georgia’s State Minister for Diaspora Issues visits Lithuania
On 22 June, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Mantvydas Bekešius held a meeting with the State Minister of Georgia for Diaspora Issues Gela Dumbadze in Vilnius. The meeting discussed activities of Lithuanian and Georgian institutions aimed at strengthening relations with the countries’ Diasporas, which are similar in size. It is believed that both Lithuanians and Georgians living in other countries exceed 1 million, which represents a significant part of the two nations.
“We are glad and proud of although small in size, but very active Georgian Diaspora in Lithuania. Georgia has always enjoyed close ties with Lithuania. We are happy to share the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry’s experience in maintaining and strengthening relations with the Diaspora, which was gained from coordinating the “Global Lithuania” programme,” said Bekešius.
Dumbadze informed Bekešius about the activity of the Office of the State Minister of Georgia for Diaspora Issues and Diaspora forums, and expressed the hope that our friendly countries would implement even more cooperation projects on Diaspora Policy in the future.
The visit of the State Minister of Georgia for Diaspora Issues reflects the close cooperation with the Georgian Diaspora. At the end of February of this year, Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry held bilateral consultations with Georgia’s delegation, which focused on diaspora engagement in their countries of origin. During the consultations, the guests from Georgia were acquainted with goals of the “Global Lithuania” programme, the main projects and activities of its partners – the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, the Department of Youth Affairs, the State Department of Tourism, the Lithuanian National Radio and Television, and the Migration Information Centre – aimed at strengthening a connection between Lithuanians living abroad and Lithuania.
During the meeting, Georgia’s State Minister for Diaspora Issues thanked the Lithuanian Foreign Vice-Minister for Lithuania’s continued political and expert support for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration.
Photo: Bekešius and Dumbadze (left).
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