Global LT

Lithuania’s U-turn on granting citizenship to Litvaks

Some Jews in Israel and the Republic of South Africa who left Lithuania between the two world wars and their descendants have been applying to have their Lithuanian citizenship restored, but receiving a negative answer. […]

Economy

Lithuania sets eyes on Japanese and American tourists

Lithuania expects to see the rapid growth of its tourism sector continue well into 2016. With a Lithuanian delegation travelling to the US later this month to promote the country, the award from the UNTWO for the Treetop Walking Path in Anykšciai, and the buzz that the Kaunas-set Japanese WWII film Persona Non Grata has created, Lithuania’s tourism sector is finding its way into the spotlights all over the world. […]

Giedrius Titenis
Sports

Two Lithuanian swimmers break national records in European championship

Two Lithuanian swimmers, who competed in the European Swimming Championship in Netanya, Israel, improved two Lithuanian records. […]

Dalia Grybauskaitė
Global LT

Litvaks’ public diplomacy is important to Lithuania, President Grybauskaitė says

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė opened the first ever Israeli Litvak Forum in Tel Aviv. In her address to Jews with roots in Lithuania and their descendants, the president emphasized their special contribution to establishing Lithuania’s ties with the world and invited them to foster what connects Lithuanian and Jewish nations, the press service of the president said. […]

Dalia Grybauskaitė, Mahmoud Abbas
Foreign affairs

Could Lithuania mediate in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks?

During a meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė stressed the need for Israelis and Palestinians to go back to peace talks. She also hinted that Lithuania could serve as a broker in the negotiations. However, with Lithuania’s record of supporting Israel and opposing any Palestinian moves to establish themselves in the international community, Vilnius would not be a likely choice for a mediator, a political scientist says. […]