COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Europe's wide cultural, linguistic, ethnic and religious diversity is one of its key strengths. Intercultural dialogue is a major tool to harness the talents and skills that minorities bring to Europe and to provide opportunities for citizens to create deeper understanding and relationships with people belonging to such minorities.

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

The first reference to the name of Lithuania in written sources comes to us in the story related to the tragic end of St. Bruno’s mission in1009 as described in the annals of Quedlinburg, Germany (Annales Quedlinburgenses). The text written in the 11th century failed to survive and its copy made in the middle of the 16th century is kept in Dresden, Germany.

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Internet site

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Neighbouring states: Latvia, Belarus Poland Russia Swedish

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania During the 14th century, Lithuania was the largest country in Europe: present-day Belarus, Ukraine and parts of Poland and Russia were territories of the Grang Dychy of Lithuania

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania From 1569 to 1772 Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania There are people of 115 nationalities in Lithuania

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

At this moment in Lithuania there are 174 schools for linguist minorities 62 Polish schools 63 integrated schools (2 teaching languages) 41 Russian schools 13 others schools 1 Byelorussian school 1 Jewish school 1 German school

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

The Department of National Minorities and lithuanians Living Abroad to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (henceforth, the Department) forms and implements the Government policy of national minorities residing in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania.

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Certain national minorities such as Poles, Byelorussians, Ukrainians Germans, Armenians, Karaites and Tartars have established their Sunday schools. The education program of such schools generally includes lectures on mother tongue, history, religion and national culture. Currently there are about 38 Sunday schools in Lithuania: 3 Armenians, 2 Byelorussians, 1 Greek, 1 Karaits, 2 Latvian, 11 Polish, 3 Tartars, 4 Ukrainians, 3 German, 1 Estonian 3 Jewish, 1 Roma, 1 Romanian 2 Russians.

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

Karaims (or Karaites) are a small Turkic- speaking religious and ethnic group resettled to Trakai by Grand Duke Vytautas in 1397 and 1398 from Crime

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

The Public Institution the House of National Communities – is a non–profit seeking organization established in accordance with the Law on Public Institutions of the Republic of Lithuania acting in the spheres of culture, education and science and providing services in the above fields to the members of society seeking to help to preserve cultural and ethnic peculiarities of national minorities of Lithuania in the course of their full – value integration into the public life of the country. There are ten full – time employees in the institution

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania

Armenian Ukrainian

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Kaunas Cultural Centre of Various Nations is a public institution founded by the Department of National Minorities And Lithuanians Living Abroad to the Government of the Republic of Lithuania together with the Council of Kaunas Municipality. The beginning of its activity is considered to be the 30 of April, 2004 when the institution was registered in the registry of juridical persons.

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania. Visaginas society of national minorities

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania The Goethe institute in Vilnius is the agency which promotes intercultural cooperation and German language studies, also provides the information about the cultural, public, and political life in Germany. On the internet site the information about the events in the institute, german language courses, and cultural programs is given

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania 7 FESTIVAL of Saturday and SundaySchools of Ethnic Minorities in Lithuania

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Sources:

COMENIUS: “The Fifth Planet” “European students co-operate to statue the value of diversity” Linguistic minorities in Lithuania Thank you for your attention Your questions are welcome Danguole Vokiene Laura Puriene 2008 Tropea