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Human Rights Day: talking about the right to culture

Human Rights Day: talking about the right to culture

December 10th is celebrated as Human Rights Day, and we want to highlight one of the less touched upon topics – the right to culture.

The number of migrants living in Lithuania has exceeded the 145,000 mark, constituting 5% of the total population. As the number of migrants continues to grow, it is important to consider comprehensive measures for their integration into society. The accessibility of culture for migrants and refugees granted asylum in Lithuania is a functional path towards integration and, consequently, a matter of rights.

“The right to culture encompasses much – it includes the right to receive cultural services such as cultural education, access to cultural institutions, the right to express oneself through culture, and the right to be nondiscriminatory in culture,” says Aistė Ulubey, the founder and director of “Artscape.”

Artscape’s creative missions in migrant and refugee centers ensure cultural accessibility, participation in culture, and the opportunity for the most vulnerable migrants – children and youth experiencing isolation from society, as well as cultural and social marginalization – to express themselves through culture.

“The assurance of cultural activities and engagement holds significant transformative power. Artscape’s Creative Missions, conducted in collaboration with UNHCR, help participants build a bridge between the past and the present, their native culture and Lithuanian society, promoting authenticity and understanding: a journey where mission participants can integrate various parts of their identity through expression. Various creative workshops provide a safe space for expression, recognize and appreciate cultural diversity. Art is a powerful tool for resilience, fostering social bonds, which is particularly important for children and young people,” shares insights A. Ulubey.

We invite you to learn more about this topic by listening to the conversation on the “Ryto allegro” radio show on LRT KLASIKA, where A. Ulubey and the Music Educator of Creative Missions, Karen, participated.

December 14, 2022