The sixth V. Adamkus award was given to one of the initiators of the “Girių spiečius” movement and the head of the non-governmental organization “Environmental Coalition” for her efforts to steer the country’s forest policy in a sustainable direction. During the ceremony, the laureate was presented with 5 thousand euros and a sculpture by sculptor Kęstutis Dovydaitis.
“Environmental protection is a public interest, a measure of state maturity, and a litmus test of our political culture. Human identity is closely linked to their environment, on which well-being and health directly depend. Many of us feel nature as a living entity – like a fellow citizen without citizenship, who feels, reacts, recovers, and perishes, but cannot speak for itself. It is no coincidence that many experience clear-cutting of mature forests or destroyed river rapids as a profound loss,” said L. Paškevičiūtė.
During the ceremony, V. Adamkus’s welcoming speech emphasized the importance of environmental protection for people and the country.
“We talk a lot about the future of Lithuania. And most often we mention geopolitical challenges, economy, education, culture. However, we often forget that the support and foundation of all this is the environment in which we live. If nature is destroyed, our geopolitical security and economy will suffer, and education and culture will remain just empty words. Because environmental protection has always been and always will be an inseparable part of general culture, general Lithuanian development and progress,” said V. Adamkus.
As stated in the VDU report, L. Paškevičiūtė’s representation of environmental interests and formulation of proposals encourages institutions, decision-makers, and civil society to undertake changes for the benefit of environmental protection.
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“Through her activities, she significantly contributes to forest policy becoming not a narrow dispute among specialists, but a public object of discussion. (…) The activities of organizations led by L. Paškevičiūtė combined the defense of public interest with scientific argumentation,” the report states.
For her environmental activities, L. Paškevičiūtė received the “Sacrifice of the Year” award at the “Waste Culture” awards in 2023, and in 2024, the Valdas Adamkus Environmental Award Committee paid special attention to her.
President V. Adamkus’s award has been presented in an updated format since 2021. Its laureates include: Mindaugas Survila, director of the documentary film “Sengirė”, public figure Giedrius Bučas, professor Tatjana Paulauskienė, long-time director of the Alytus regional waste management center Algirdas Reipas, and naturalist Selemonas Paltanavičius.
From 1992 to 2005, an environmental award initiated by V. Adamkus himself was presented, aiming to contribute to the development of environmental protection in Lithuania.
