Over the next three years, the Global Lithuania program plans to provide a total of 25.6 million euros for projects in the diaspora. Over 8 million euros per year will be used for projects in the fields of education, culture, migration, and economic development, among others. Focus will increase on involving more diaspora Lithuanians in formal and informal Lithuanian language study, with added opportunities for remote learning, and access to taking Lithuanian state examinations at embassies and consular offices abroad. The program includes funding for learning material and youth camps in Lithuania, as well as awards for both students and teachers.
Funds will also be used to support diaspora organizations, a seminar for Lithuanian youth living in Eastern countries, competitions for cultural ensemble leaders and specialists, salaries for specialists and grants for cultural activities.
A priority will also be the promotion of Lithuanian culture in the diaspora. Lithuanian archivists will be engaged to visit archives abroad and provide assistance in identifying and classifying documents as well as searching and preserving artifacts and registering them in the U-PAVELDAS system.
A listing of archival fonds of folkloric recordings and documents is also planned. The tradition of organizing World Lithuanian Games will be continued.
Visits by Lithuanian officials will be expanded to include more meetings with members of the diaspora, who will be encouraged to be honorary ambassadors to their homeland.
More information will be made available about Lithuanian defence policy, and about participation in civil defence, with new chapters of the Riflemen’s League to be established. Online sessions will be made available to present the diaspora with information on establishing businesses in Lithuania, and city tours will be planned to highlight infrastructure, jobs and services. Priority will be given to children of returning families, accepting them to pre-school programs and summer programs. Support for seasonal workers and new businesses is already in place.
There are approximately 1.3 million Lithuanians and people of Lithuanian descent living in the diaspora, or about one third of the nation. Global Lithuania was a progam established in 2012, intended to involve Lithuanians of the diaspora in the life of the homeland. Its first stage ended in 2021, when a political strategy called Global Lithuania 2022-2030 was adopted.
