News

On 29 June, during the working visit to Chicago, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas met with Lithuanians living in Chicago and its suburbs, heads of Lithuanian organisations, representatives of the Lithuanian press in the U.S.A. He took part in the ‘Lithuanian Days’ events in the city of Summit and visited the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont. Lithuanians attended the meeting with Forign Minister Vaitiekūnas at the  Lithuanian World Centre in great numbers. They took interest in the amendments to the Law on Citizenship, the lack of qualified workers and the possibilities of return to Lithuania.

Participants in the meeting were also interested in the perspectives of electronic voting, and in important issues of foreign policy, especially relations with Russia. Members of the Lithuanian community in the U.S.A. also inquired about foreign investment in Lithuania.

The meeting with the Foreign Minister was attended by journalists from the largest Lithuanian daily newspapers and weeklies in the U.S.A., including ‘Draugas’ (‘The Friend’), ‘Vakarai’ (‘West’), ‘Amerikos lietuvis’(‘Lithuanian American’), and online dailies: ‘Vakarai.us’ (‘West’), and ‘Bičiulystė’ (‘Friendship’). Besides the aforementioned, media representatives were interested in the activities of the Commission of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania (Parliament) and the Lithuanian World Community, the efficiency of activity of institutions concerned with issues of Lithuanian emigration and issues related to preserving the unity of the Baltic States.

In the city of Summit, Minister P. Vaitiekūnas met with Mayor Joseph Strzelczyk. As a sign of respect, the Mayor of Summit presented Minister P. Vaitiekūnas with a symbolic key to the city.

During the ‘Lithuanian Days’ that lasted for two days, U.S. Lithuanians and Americans of various generations had an opportunity to enjoy some entertainment, sports and games, taste Lithuanian national dishes, listen to the music, enter various contests and participate in a draw.

In Chicago, Foreign Minister P. Vaitiekūnas placed flowers on the monument for S.Darius and S.Girėnas. On 13 July, the 75th anniversary of the flight over the Atlantic will be celebrated here. The monument for the Lithuanian pilots was erected in 1935, in Marquette Park. In 1999, the monument was renovated at the initiative of the Lithuanian - American Engineers and Architects Association.