Well-known performer and songwriter Gabrielė Vilkickytė, who will participate in the discussion, says that the understanding of citizenship often comes gradually – through a personal relationship with truth, responsibility, and one’s country.
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“Citizenship – at first something boringly theoretical, something maybe shown on ‘Panorama’, and you switch it off. But over time it can become a reference point for creating life – recognizing truth, a personal motivation to vote or protest, gaining the courage to admit guilt or value and the desire to return home. And the knowledge that you contribute to their creation,” says the well-known performer.
The discussion moderator, public figure and history nurturer Rugilė Grendaitė says that citizenship primarily begins not with declarations, but with the individual’s choice to act.
“Citizenship is not defined by laws and is not mandatory – it begins when, having freedom, you decide to act. The voice of youth is strongly heard today, but real impact occurs when the voice turns into action,” says R. Grendaitė.
The role of young people in addressing today’s societal challenges will also be discussed by the president of the Lithuanian Youth Organizations Council, Umberto Masi.
“Young people are ready to be full creators of their environment. Youth have ideas, courage, and proposals on how to solve everyday challenges and problems. It just requires greater determination and will to trust them,” he says.
Meanwhile, well-known comedian and event host Kristoforas Vaidutis Jankauskas emphasizes the importance of family in fostering citizenship.
“I sincerely believe that citizenship is nurtured not at school, but in the family, which should be the foundation for future generations. Seeing how bright and civic-minded today’s youth are, I can only rejoice that the country is heading in the right direction,” he says.
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Today, citizenship increasingly moves into the digital space – opinions are formed there, initiatives are born, informational battles take place, and communities gather. Expert in information wars and resilience, lecturer, and officer Darius Remeika will share insights on the modern transformation of citizenship, informational resilience, and youth’s relationship with the state and society during the “Youth Citizenship” discussion.
“We are witnesses to the transformation of citizenship: citizenship increasingly finds digital forms, becoming not only more global but also more glamorous,” says D. Remeika.
According to the festival organizers, “Youth Citizenship” was chosen as the main theme of this year’s festival for a reason.
“Young people’s citizenship today often manifests not in loud statements but in very concrete actions – volunteering, helping communities, initiatives in their cities, or simply caring about others. We see a growing generation that is not afraid to talk about values, responsibility, and their relationship with the state. We wanted the youth’s voice and experiences to become one of the most important axes of discussion at this year’s festival,” says Asta Margevičienė, director of the NGO “Citizenship Festival” and president of the “Lithuanian Millennium Rotary Club.”
The hour-long discussion “Youth – brave or just loud?” will begin at 16:15. Immediately after, performers of the specially created musical project “Homeland DNA” – Marijanas Petrov, Cash Tone, Yami x matty hugo, Adrija Matutytė, and Adelė Kablytė – will appear on the festival stage. According to the festival organizers, this musical program will become a natural continuation of the youth citizenship theme – through music, creativity, and a personal relationship with Lithuania.
For the third year, the event organized by the NGO “Citizenship Festival” and the “Lithuanian Millennium Rotary Club” initiative will take place on June 6, Saturday, at Leonpolis Manor (Ukmergė district).
The festival program also includes discussions on universal defense, regional leadership, culture and education, activities for the whole family, creative activities, the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union program, and a live poetry reading by Prof. Vytautas Landsbergis and his daughter Birutė Landsbergytė-Cechanavičienė accompanied by cellist Julius Klet Jonušas’s music.
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More information here.
