Program on Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion
As part of the practical implementation of the Law on Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid of Lithuania, under the Programme for Development Cooperation and Democracy Promotion implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs financial assistance was regularly provided to many projects and initiatives in the field of culture, cultural heritage, education and science in partner countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine and other countries on the List of ODA Recipients of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The programme for development cooperation in culture initiatives was intended for various target groups: artists, academia, youth, women, ethnic minorities, local communities, general public. The key objective of the measure was to financially support projects in partner (recipient) countries related to sharing expertize and best practices in the field of culture, cultural heritage, education and science.
During the reporting period, a total of 42 projects related to the culture sector or containing culture aspects were implemented (22 in Belarus, 4 in Ukraine, 3 in Georgia, 3 in Afghanistan, 1 in Palestine and 8 regional), for example, the Project for Improving the Supply of Culture Services to Georgian Children: the Khashuri children library was built by the Lithuanian government and supplied with books.
A long-term project – the European Humanities University (EHU) – is worth to mention. Lithuania has been supporting EHU – a Belarussian university in exile – since the very beginning of its reestablishment in Vilnius in 2006 by paying annual contributions, providing premises (including maintenance costs), issuing free visas for students and teachers, etc. EHU provides independent education to students, based on democratic values and traditions. Much attention is given to the development of students’ social and leadership skills. Though operating in the conditions of exile, EHU has established itself as a strong and reputable university, with Belarussian being one of the languages of instruction. Among the university’s graduates there are 3 000 holders of BA and MA degrees; 596 students during the reporting period completed such study programmes as cultural heritage and tourism, media and communication, contemporary art theory and practice, visual design and media, history and cultural heritage, and culture studies in general.
The expected results include the improvement of knowledge, skills and competences of the target groups in the related sphere.
In 2012-2015 – 1 200 000 EUR