New in Education: The ”Feeling Good“ Program
The government has granted Lithuania’s education, science and sports ministry 9.8 million euros to implement a Feeling Good program and hybrid classes in schools. According to ESS minister Jurgita Šiugždinienė, it is to be expected that learning gaps and other effects of such an extensive quarantine period will affect schoolchildren emotionally and socially for a long time. For this reason plans are in place to provide more help for children and schools in the fall. The ministry asked for immediate funding so that the schools will have time to get ready for the upcoming school year. The Feeling Good program is an elective service to support children’s emotional, social and physical well-being.
Hybrid classes allow various approaches. Some students will work in class, while others, for health or other reasons, participate remotely. Such classes require special equipment to ensure quality of education. The schools themselves determine which classes will be hybrid. Priority is given to schools with more than 200 students. There could be as many as 2000 such classes.
Other enhancements will be provided so that schools will be better-prepared for a new, less stressful school year. In June municipalities will receive laptops purchased by the ministry – nearly 10,000 of them, valued at 6.9 million euros. They will be distributed to schools lacking computers. Another 220,000 euros will be spent on Microsoft licences to allow 15,000 teachers to work at school and at home.
Pro-Family Rally
On Saturday, May 15, a huge rally was held “In Defense of Families”. Thousands of Lithuanians gathered at Vilnius’ Vingis Park to hear speeches, including an address by President Gitanas Nausėda. Although the permit allowed 7,000 attendees, police estimated a crowd of 10,000.
Reminding listeners that Lithuania has always been a proponent of freedom, and a country where people of different faiths, nationalities and world-views coexisted peacefully, he noted that issues regarding same-sex unions must be legally regulated to allow sharing of health information, inheritance rights and other questions. However, said the president, that must be done without transgression against Article 38 of the Lithuanian Constitution, which states that family is the basis of Lithuanian society and the nation, and marriage is a free choice made by a man and a woman. “As the president of the Republic of Lithuania, I will use my power to ensure that this remains so.”
The crowd was also addressed by EU parlamentarian and member of the German party, Alternative für Deutschland Bernhardas Zimniokas, Reverends Arnoldas Valkauskas and Robertas Grigas, Lithuanian Parents’ Forum president Dalius Trečiakauskas, historian Rasa Čepaitienė, and representatives of other groups. Many opinions were expressed opposing the legalization of same-sex unions and the ratification of the Istanbul Convention. (Signed by 45 countries and the European Union, it is a human rights treaty of the Council of Europe against violence against women and domestic violence, opened for signature on 11 May 2011, in Istanbul, Turkey. The convention aims at prevention of violence, victim protection and to end the impunity of perpetrators.) Catholic Church leaders supported the rally, but the archbishops of Vilnius and Kaunas did not attend.
Prime Minister Calls for Tolerance
Lithuania’s Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė called for tolerance on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on May 17, calling on the country to cherish freedoms and civil society values. The first head of government to mark the day, Šimonytė issued the message just days after opponents of same-sex partnership held a rally in Vilnius, endorsed by Lithuania’s president and leaders of the Catholic Church.
“Today, we mark the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. I feel obliged to address you and ask you to remember that freedom has been won for each one of us, irrespective of our nationality, race or sexual orientation,” Šimonytė said in a press release.
She also emphasized that each person deserves respect and the right not to be marginalized. Even the slightest incitement to hatred must be stopped, Šimonytė said.
Fifteen foreign ambassadors in Lithuania signed a joint statement against homophobia and LGBTQ+ discrimination in the country. The statement expresses their strong commitment to equality for all, and the enjoyment of their human rights fully and equally, without discrimination, saying that Lithuania is a strong voice on human rights globally and it is recognized that Lithuania has made notable progress on the path towards ensuring LGBT+ persons’ full and equal enjoyment of human rights.
“Transgender individuals remain the most vulnerable subgroup under the LGBT+ umbrella in Lithuania, struggling with legal gender recognition and access to gender affirming healthcare. Lithuanian LGBT+ people face discrimination and fear disclosing their identity.“
Lithuania is one of six remaining EU countries with no legal recognition of same-sex partnership. The Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information, much criticized internationally as a tool to censor LGBT+ related public information, remains in force.
We hope the Seimas will take a bold step in that direction by adopting the gender-neutral partnership law proposed by the coalition parties in government. This is an opportunity to take a historical step towards true equality for all. We also encourage the government to develop a national strategy on LGBT+ equality, to guide further steps in the coming years.”
The statement was signed by the ambassadors of Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Finland, the French Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Iceland, Ireland, the State of Israel, Italy, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Spain, the Kingdom of Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
With news from Alkas.lt, LRT.lt, Bernardinai.lt
