News

Today, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador in charge of relations with Jewish organizations Dainius Junevičius stressed the need to preserve historical memory, graveyards and mass murder sites in a public discussion at the Vilnius Jewish Public Library.

The Ambassador Junevičius also drew significant attention to the information that had surfaced in media about land for sale in the Vėliučionys village. According to the Ambassador, the Foreign Ministry has sent an official letter to the Vilnius District Municipality calling for a fitting control of the site of mass murder of Jews in the Vėliučionys village under its authority, following the example set by other municipalities, which carefully maintain and manage the Holocaust sites. Junevičius also noted that the Department of Cultural Heritage had technical tools and experienced specialists who would dispel the allegations in the media that the territory of the land for sale could include part of a mass grave.

Based on the information of the Department of Cultural Heritage, there is no private land in the territory of the site of mass murder of Jews in Vėliučionys. The Foreign Ministry’s representative also informed that the above-mentioned private land included only part of the grave’s “protection area”, which must meet specific heritage protection requirements. Thus, the Department of Cultural Heritage should strictly ensure that no construction work will be carried out before all doubts about the boundaries of the cemetery are lifted.

Since Lithuania regained its independence, the country has dedicated significant attention to the Holocaust research in Lithuania and the preservation of Jewish cultural heritage. Moreover, Lithuania supports youth education, fosters historical memory. There are about 115 Tolerance Education Centers across Lithuania, including at secondary schools, regional museums and educational centers. During the period of independence, about 400 scientific, literary, and pedagogical publications were published about the Lithuanian Jewish history and Jews. All immovable Jewish cultural heritage objects that are known in Lithuania are included into the Register of Cultural Property. There is also the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum in Vilnius.