Organizations: Lithuanian World Community
The Lithuanian World Community
The Lithuanian World Community (Lithuanian: Pasaulio lietuvių bendruomenė or PLB) is a non-governmental and non-profit organization established in 1949 that unifies Lithuanian communities abroad. The Constitution of the Lithuanian World Community declares that it consists of all Lithuanians living abroad. The Community is active in 36 countries, including representation in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian Charter
- to support and unite all Lithuanians outside Lithuania's borders and promote Lithuanian culture and language abroad;
- a nation is a natural community of people;
- human has birthright to freely profess and promote his nationality;
- Lithuanian remains a Lithuanian everywhere and always;
- is parents maintained the Lithuanian national consciousness; a Lithuanian relays it to the generations yet unborn, to remain alive;
- language is the strongest tie to the national community;
- he Lithuanian language is the most precious national honor for a Lithuanian;
- national solidarity is the highest national virtue.
In the 1950's many Lithuanians from Germany moved to the United States. Canada, Australia. South America and other countries, where they established new branches of the Lithuanian Community. 1955 saw elections to the first Lithuanian Community Council in the U.S., which allowed better coordination among the different Lithuanian groups. In 1960 Lithuanians in the U.S., among them future President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus, collected about 40,000 signatures and petitioned the United States Government to intervene in the ongoing deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia conducted by the Soviets.
In August of 2006, President Valdas Adamkus attended the opening ceremony of the World Lithuanian Community's 12th Seimas. Adamkus proposed new goals for the Community as it was facing new challenges which had to be accepted and dealt with because a new wave of Lithuanians had left their homeland since the declaration of independence in 1990.
Structure
The Lithuanian World Community consists of local Lithuanian Communities around the world, currently numbering 36. The highest body is the Seimas of the Lithuanian World Community. Its main goal is to periodically adopt and review the Community's strategy and program. Each country sends at least one representative to the Seimas, which gathers every three years (1958-1997 it gathered every five years). The Seimas also elects the Community Council to deal with day-to-day issues. As of 2006, twelve Community Councils have been elected
Tasks
In his address to the World Lithuanian Community Seimas, President Adamkus said that the objectives set many years ago – to preserve the Lithuanian identity of those living far away from Lithuania, to develop links with their homeland, the land of their parents and grandparents, to foster the Lithuanian community feeling and readiness to act in the common interest – had retained their significance.
Mr. Adamkus pointed out that the World Lithuanian Community was also facing new challenges which had to be accepted and dealt with because many Lithuanian had left their homeland in the past several years.
“The world Lithuanian community is an integral part of the Nation. You must know and understand that you are greatly needed by Lithuania which is concerned about all of you. Your history is our history. Lithuania of the world comprises a totality of cultural activities carried on by Lithuanians inside and outside Lithuania,” said Mr. Adamkus.
The president recalled a sad anniversary: the forced exile of Lithuanians to the East and West which started 65 years ago. Mr. Adamkus further said that historic memory could neither be lost or distorted.
“The issues faced by newly emerging Lithuanian communities should not overshadow the State’s primary concern over the fate of those born in exile and their descendants. We have to be creative in uniting our experience and innovations, traditions and modern advances ,” noted Mr. Adamkus.
The president pointed out that the World Lithuanian Community had emerged as a specific means of organizing the democratic and communal-lifestyle of foreign Lithuanians, while its organizational structure had become a priceless national heritage and a sound basis for future activities.
”The community feeling, which is the underlying basis for the activities carried on by the World Lithuanian Community, means the ability to admit that we need each other, that we seek to find common solutions, respect other points of view, support each other and live together in solidarity. Such a community feeling is mandatory for a healthy society and prerequisite for democratic prosperity,: said Valdas Adamkus.
Board of Lithuanian World Community
Chairwoman - Regina Narušienė
Vice-chairmens:
Stasys Kuliavas;
Petras Maksimavičius;
Inga Januitytė Lanchas;
Loreta Paulauskaitė;
Dr. Arūnas Tešerskis;
Prel. Edmundas Putrimas;
Dr. Dalia A. Giedrimienė;
Jurga Vidugirienė;
Dalia Henke;
Birutė Nenartavičiūtė;
Angelė Vaičiūnienė;