‘During World War II, 60-80 thousand refugees left Lithuania. In recent years, Lithuania, once a safe haven for many fleeing war, has become home to people from Ukraine, Belarus, and other countries. The demographic shift in our country significantly impacts numerous cultural and social aspects,’ says Aistė Ulubey, CEO and founder of Artscape.
According to A. Ulubey, Refugee Week encourages us to stop and get to know our new Lithuanian residents, understanding them and ourselves. How we welcome people needing security and shelter says more about us than about those arriving.
‘Empathy or apathy – we must decide what kind of world we want to live in. Now more than ever, we must show solidarity with refugees, those who didn’t choose but were forced to leave their countries due to violence, conflict, war, and persecution. This is a critical moment in history,’ says Renata Kuleš, UNHCR spokesperson in Lithuania.
Refugee Week in Lithuania kicks off on June 12 at the National Art Gallery at 4 PM. Visitors will enjoy artistic performances, discussions on migration and cultural topics, and engage with representatives from these sectors on our society’s openness and the potential influence of culture and arts.
Organizations with extensive migration experience have joined forces to create a diverse map of events in Vilnius, Kaunas, and other cities from June 12-20. They invite participation in open events spanning workshops, debates, education, poetry, exhibitions, tours, and more.
Events are created in collaboration with: Lithuanian Red Cross, International Organization for Migration (IOM), CreateCulture Space, The Others, Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations, Sienos Group, Open Lithuania Foundation, Reception and Integration Agency and others.
The festival concludes with a closing concert on June 19 at the terrace roof of the Energy and Technology Museum in Vilnius. Musicians from various countries and backgrounds will perform to highlight the diversity surrounding us in Lithuania. One of Lithuania’s prominent artists, Saulius Petreikis, will host the evening and share the musical journey with other musicians.
All events are free. For more information, visit HERE.
Organizer – Arts agency ARTSCAPE
Partners – United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Reception and Integration Agency
Friends: National Gallery of Art, Energy and Technology Museum
The festival is partially funded by the Lithuanian Council for Culture
About ‘Refugee Week’ global initiative:
‘Refugee Week’ is the world’s largest art and culture initiative celebrating the contribution, creativity, and resilience of refugees and asylum seekers. Representing this festival in Lithuania is the Artscape arts agency, which has been working in the field of migration for over 10 years, conducting inclusion programs for thousands of refugees and asylum seekers.”
