News

On 24 August in Vilnius, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas met with Israeli Minister of Public Affairs and the Diaspora Yuli-Yoel Edelstein. Minister Y.Edelstein is taking part in the third World Litvak Congress on 23-31 August in Vilnius.

Head of Lithuania’s diplomacy stressed that Lithuania saw Israel as a friendly and trustworthy partner. According to Minister V.Ušackas, Lithuania and Israel were first of all bound by the history and experience of the nations.

During the meeting, the Ministers discussed political and economic issues of Lithuania and Israel, and dedicated a lot of attention to the issues of Lithuania’s relations with the World Jewish Community.

Minister V.Ušackas said that the third World Litvak Congress was a very important part of the celebration of Lithuania’s millennium and Vilnius – European Capital of Culture 2009, it reflected a huge input of the Lithuanian Jewish Community into Lithuania’s history and culture.

The Lithuanian and Israeli Ministers were glad about closer bilateral relations and the strengthening cooperation of the two countries the international organisations.

Israeli Minister Y.Edelstein thanked Lithuania for making efforts to solve the issues of compensation for the Jewish communal property and those of former Jewish cemetery in Šnipiškės. Minister Y.Edelstein invited Minister V.Ušackas to take part in an international conference on anti-Semitism at the end of the year in Israel.

At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministers V.Ušackas and Y.Edelstein opened an exhibition of photographs “The Sounds of Silence”, which presents the Jewish cultural heritage in Lithuania.

“We highly value our relations with Litvaks, because you are part of Lithuania. We would like you to hold Lithuania as part of you as well,” said Minister V.Ušackas.

Minister Y.Edelstein mentioned that Lithuania could be a model to Israel on the issues of reconstructing and preserving for future generations the cultural heritage of Jews living all around the world.