Lithuanians in the News
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9th April 2022
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Lithuanian-Heritage Peter Malinauskas Elected Premier of South Australia |
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Peter Malinauskas with healthcare workers just before the election.
Photo courtesy ABC News/ Lincoln Rothall Peter Malinauskas achieved an outstanding win against an incumbent premier, making his opponent a one-term premier, which is challenging task in Australian politics. The 41-year-old Peter Malinauskas has been involved in the trade union movement since his teens and has been a member of the South Australian Parliament since 2015, representing the Australian Labor Party. He has graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Adelaide. In his personal life, Malinauskas is married to lawyer Annabel West and they have two daughters and a son. Congratulations, Peter Malinauskas! Further information: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-19/who-is-sa-premier-peter-malinauskas/100924176 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Malinauskas |
Lithuania in the News
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12th March 2022
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Important Visit to Australia by Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis |
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During the formal opening of Lithuania’s Embassy,
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister & Honorary Consuls. Photo courtesy Ginta Viliűnas In Australia February 7-10, Mr. Landsbergis met many Australian political and business leaders, to open up business opportunities and scientific cooperation between Australia and Lithuania. He met Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Defence Minister Peter Dutton and other political leaders. He spoke at Australia’s Strategic Policy Institute and delivered a notable and very well received address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, 10 February 2022. His presentation was entitled “The Rules-based World Order Under Attack: The Cases of Ukraine and Taiwan” (Please refer to www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2IdwbetbrY). Lithuania’s and Australia’s concerns with cyber security led Mr. Landsbergis to Melbourne on February 8, to RMIT University, for the launch of a joint cyber security initiative between Australia and Lithuania – the Australian–Lithuanian Cyber Research Network (ALCRN), which will be an important milestone in the scientific cooperation between Lithuania and Australia and will be the first such initiative in the world. In Australia the ALCRN will be led by RMIT University’s Centre for Cyber Security Research & Innovation, one of Australia’s leading multi-disciplinary Cyber Security Research Centres, while in Lithuania work for ALCRN will be undertaken by Mykolas Romeris University, one of Lithuania’s leading universities specialising in law, public security and public administration. (Please refer to youtu.be/GRpEp-z5bd8). ![]()
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
speaking at he National Press Club in Canberra. Photo courtesy National Press Club Further information: 1. https://urm.lt/default/lt/naujienos/ministras-g-landsbergis-tikiu-kad-lietuva-ir-australija-pradeda-nauja-glaudaus-bendradarbiavimo-etapa 2. Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2IdwbetbrY 3. ALCRN: https://youtu.be/GRpEp-z5bd8 4. https://www.techbusinessnews.com.au/news/rmit-university-launches-international-cyber-security-network-between-australia-and-lithuania/ 5. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/lithuanian-foreign-minister-gabrielius-landsbergis-hails-australian-stance-on-bully-china/news-story/73d541bd638520608cf0741db65ce955 6. https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/verslas/landsbergis-butina-greiciau-siekti-es-ir-australijos-laisvosios-prekybos-susitarimo.d?id=89408799 7. https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/verslas/landsbergis-singapura-matome-kaip-patikima-tarpininka-zengiant-i-kitas-pietryciu-azijos-rinkas.d?id=89397403 |
Lithuanians in the News
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21st November 2021
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Vaclovas Ratas, Distinguished Australian Lithuanian Artist, Honoured by Exhibitions in Lithuania |
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The placard in front of the Vytautas Kasiulis Museum of Art
advertising the Ratas’ exhibition. Photo courtesy Violeta Điurkienë The honouring of Vaclovas Ratas was originally meant for his 110-year anniversary in 2020, but had to be delayed until 2021 due to problems caused by the worldwide Covid pandemic. “Vaclovas Ratas. Beyond the equator” is the name of the exhibition, as can be seen on the placard advertising the exhibition outside the Kasiulis Museum. Over 60 works have been collected for the exhibition. The curators of the exhibition are Regina Urbonienë, Dr.Tojana Račiűnaitë and Ilona Maţeikienë. The exhibition is complemented by two publications, also by the LNDM. One of them is a facsimile edition of the book, “The Twelve Ravens”, originally published by Ratas in 1949, telling the story of a famous Lithuanian fairy tale and illustrated with 9 original Ratas’ woodcuts. The other publication is a 200-page comprehensive album, in Lithuanian and English, on the life and times of the artist. ![]()
A view of Ratas’ works in the Kasiulis Museum. Photo courtesy LNDM
He was also very active in the Australian Lithuanian Community. The album "Eleven Lithuanian Artists in Australia", edited by Ratas in 1967, became the first professional book on Australian Lithuanian artists. The exhibitions in Lithuania forcefully illustrate the impact on graphic art that his works have had. His works have not dated. Nearly 50 years on after his death his works are being highly and widely appreciated. For more information: https://www.lndm.lt/vaclovas-ratas-anapus-pusiaujo/ https://klaipeda.diena.lt/naujienos/klaipeda/menas-ir-pramogos/p-domsaicio-galerijoje-klaipedoje-dvi-naujos-meno-parodos-1048324 https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2021/10/28/prano-domsaicio-galerijoje-zymaus-australijos-lietuvio-kurybos-paroda/ https://pasauliolietuvis.lt/prano-domsaicio-galerijoje-nauja-paroda-vaclovas-ratas-anapus-pusiaujo/ Vaclovas Ratas „Dvylika juodvarniř“ (The Twelve Ravens) | Lietuvos nacionalinis dailës muziejus (lndm.lt) |
Lithuania in the News
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18th September 2021
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Lithuania’s Ambassador to Australia Ready to Take up Post |
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Ambassador Darius Degutis. Photo courtesy lrytas.lt, by J.Stacevičius
Ambassador Degutis will be continuing a distinguished diplomatic career. He was Lithuania’s Ambassador to Poland 2001 – 2004 and to Israel 2009 – 2014. Born in 1963, he graduated from Vilnius University in 1986 and joined Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry in 1991, soon after Lithuania had re-established its independence. His other diplomatic postings abroad have included as advisor to Lithuania’s Embassy in Denmark (1992) and as Minister-advisor in Lithuania’s Embassy in Washington (1998 - 2001). On presenting Ambassador Degutis’ credentials, President Nausëda emphasised Australia’s regional significance and hopes for more economic cooperation between Australia and Lithuania, especially in life sciences, biotechnologies, information technologies. He also emphasised the need to enhance the relations with the Lithuanian diaspora in Australia. For more information: https://www.lrytas.lt/lietuvosdiena/aktualijos/2021/08/15/news/ambasadoriumi-australijoje-paskirtas-d-degutis-prie-unesco-j-balciuniene-20434218 https://www.lrp.lt/en/news/credentials-presented-to-lithuanias-ambassadors-to-the-permanent-representation-at-unesco-and-to-australia/36525 https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_Degutis |
Lithuania in the News
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23rd May 2021
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LOGIN 2021, the Most Significant IT and Innovation Conference in the Baltics to be Held Online This Year |
![]() LOGIN 2021 will be completely free of charge and registration will not be necessary. It will be broadcast live during the conference on the portals Delfi.lt and 15min.lt. and it will also be possible to view all the saved presentations after the event on the Delfi Plius platform. ![]()
A scene at LOGIN 2020. Photo courtesy login.lt
Among the famous presenters will be Australia’s own celebrated science commentator and journalist, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki. His presentation “Great Moments in Australian Science” will be first “off the rank” in the session “Save the Planet” on Monday, May 24, at 12:00 noon Vilnius time (7:00 pm Sydney time). For more information: www.login.lt https://www.delfi.lt/mokslas/login/jau-netrukus-didziausias-inovaciju-festivalis-login-isskirtinius-pranesejus-isgirskite-visiskai-nemokamai.d?id=87208065 |
Lithuania in the News
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16th May 2021
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Kaunas to take on the role of European Capital of Culture in 2022 |
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A view of Kaunas from Aleksotas Hill.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia/ by David Iliff In 2015 Kaunas was designated as a UNESCO City of Design and for its modern structures now has been nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage List. As stated in ref.5: “Kaunas is renowned for its unique school of architecture. In the swirl of European events, the city’s “golden age” (1918–1940) was marked by the interwar modernism architecture: its dense concentration in the city centre, a distinctive Lithuanian style of interior, exterior and furniture design, which is a unique phenomenon not only in Lithuania, but also in Europe.” ![]()
Vilnius St. in Kaunas Old Town.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia/ by Adam Jones With such a rich cultural presence, Kaunas has been described as “The Crown Jewel of Europe’s Contemporary Culture”, an accolade well deserved! Together with Kaunas there will be two other cities as European Capitals of Culture in 2022 - in Luxembourg there will be Esch-sur-Alzette and in Serbia Novi Sad. There were no new European Capitals of Culture as such in 2021 due to the Covid-19 crisis, so Ireland’s Galway and Croatia’s Rijeka, who had that role in 2020, had their roles extended until April 2021. For more information: 1. https://kaunas2022.eu/en 2. https://kaunas2022.eu/en/2021/04/26/kaunas-2022-the-crown-jewel-of-europes-contemporary-culture/ 3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Capital_of_Culture 4. https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6166/ 5. https://www.designcities.net/city/kaunas/ |
Lithuanians in the News
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18th April 2021
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Famous Rugby League Player, Lithuanian Heritage Tommy Raudonikis is Mourned by the Australian Sporting World |
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The late Tommy Raudonikis. Photo courtesy NRL.com
During an outstanding and controversial playing career, he played in Sydney with the Western Suburbs Magpies 1969-1979 and the Newtown Jets 1980-1982, moving to Queensland in 1983. In 1980 he played as captain of the New South Wales team in the inaugural State of Origin game. Many achievement awards followed him. In 2004 he was included in Western Suburbs Magpies team of the century. In February 2008, he was included in the list of 100 Greatest Players in Australia in the century (1908-2007), to celebrate rugby league’s centenary in Australia. The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) was awarded to him in 1982. According to ARL Commission chairman Peter V'Landys, "Tommy was one of a kind. There will never be another Tommy Raudonikis. ... Tommy was everything that makes rugby league the greatest game of all.” For more information: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-07/rugby-league-legend-tommy-raudonikis-dies-aged-70/100052450 https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/the-nappy-needle-had-gone-right-through-my-skin-the-birth-of-the-raudonikis-legend-20210407-p57h56.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Raudonikis |
Lithuanians in the News
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17th January 2021
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Lidija Đimkutë Represents Lithuania at the European Literature Festival in Japan |
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Lidija Đimkutë. Photo courtesy Lithuanian Embassy in Japan
At this European Literature Festival Lidija was in very distinguished company, which included the Polish Nobel poet laureate Olga Tokarczuk among the eighteen European authors taking part. For more information please see this link to the information given by the Lithuanian Embassy to Australia, resident in Japan. It was also pleasant to note that Lidija’s poetry was included in YouTube poetry readings in Japan on Christmas day ( https://youtu.be/FcPBiCa1JDo ) Also just before Christmas on December 15, 2020, the Online Magazine for Lithuanian Literature “Vilnius Review” ( www.vilniusreview.com ) , has included Lidija’s poetry works( http://vilniusreview.com/poetry/452-lidija-simkute ) with a forward by the noted Lithuanian poet Tomas Venclova. Congratulations, Lidija! |
Lithuanians in the News
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7th November 2020
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New book “A shared hope” by Daina Pocius |
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Lithuanians in the News
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10th October 2020
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Innovative Performance of The Dying Swan by Lithuanian Ballet Star |
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The Dying Swan solo performed on the roof of LNOBT.
Photo courtesy LNOBT/ Martynas Aleksa With Covid-19 crisis delaying live performances at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (LNOBT) in Vilnius, the LNOBT roof became the scene for a performance of The Dying Swan by Lithuanian Ballet star Olesia Shaitanova. The beautiful performance on the roof, with Vilnius famous landmarks visible in the background, uploaded to YouTube, has become a world favourite. The concept was choreographed by Martynas Rimeikis, the newly appointed artistic director of Lithuanian Ballet. Australian Lithuanian ballet enthusiasts will remember Martynas Rimeikis, when he partnered Lithuanian prima ballerina Eglë Đpokaitë during the Australian Lithuanian Days in Melbourne at the end of 2010. Live music for the roof performance was performed by cellist Auđra Gedţiűtë-Petraitienë and harpist Aistë Baliunaitë-Dailidienë. Further Information: https://www.opera.lt/-bravissimo/interviu-c4/bravisimo140/popup Click here for YouTube Video |
Lithuania in the News
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23rd August 2020
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2020 Elections to Lithuanian Parliament |
![]() The elections will be held on October 11, 2020 and the deadline for registering to vote is September 11, 2020. After many years of lobbying, Lithuanians living abroad have succeeded to have a seat in parliament reserved for representation of all the Lithuanians abroad. So this is the first election that there will be Member of Parliament (Seimas) elected by Lithuanians living abroad. Participation by Australian Lithuanians in this election is very important as a strong participation will strengthen the plans to establish a Lithuanian Embassy in Canberra. More generally it will strengthen the relationship of Lithuania with the Lithuanian diaspora and will help to ensure that there continues to be a Seimas member representing the diaspora. For more information please see the Announcements on this website. |