News

On 10 August in a letter, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas congratulated participants of the congress of the chairmen, delegated by the boards of the Lithuanian World Community and Lithuanian World Youth Association.

Minister indicated that currently almost one tenth of the Lithuanian nation permanently lived in foreign countries. Therefore, Lithuanian institutions and Lithuanian communities abroad have to adapt to the new environment, take full advantage of the opening up possibilities and accomplish new tasks.

‘The year before new possibilities emerged for the development of relations between Lithuanians living within the country and abroad. Lithuania joined the Schengen area, new amendments to the Citizenship Law were vehemently discussed and approved in the Seimas, the Government approved a long-term strategy for the relations between the state of Lithuania and Lithuanians abroad’, Minister says in his letter.

P.Vaitiekūnas was glad that in the beginning of the year the first congress of the Lithuanian communities from European countries and heads of Lithuanian diplomatic representations took place in Germany. During the congress, participants agreed to search for new ways to foster their national identity, to strengthen relations between Lithuanians living abroad and Lithuania, to make use of their experience and faculties, and to promote Lithuanian’s relations with foreign countries.

Foreign Minister also expressed hope that the projects of Lithuanian diplomatic representations and Lithuanian communities, dedicated to the commemoration of the millennium of the first mention of Lithuania’s name in written sources and to Vilnius - European Capital of Culture 2009, would encourage foreigners to take more interest in Lithuania.

‘I have no doubt that conclusions and recommendations of this congress will come in useful for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other public institutions  in taking decisions regarding all the issues that are important to all of us,’ said P.Vaitiekūnas in the letter, wishing good luck working during the congress.