BACKGROUND BRIEFING ON THE LITHUANIAN COMMUNITY IN AUSTRALIA
4.0 Community Achievements
Amongst the major achievements of the Community since 1947 are the following:
- Reformation of the Australian Lithuanian Society - 1/8/1950 - into the Australian Lithuanian Community. The organisational, administrative, and representational organ of the Community.
- Establishment of the Lithuanian Community Publishing Society Ltd. - publishers of the Australian Lithuanian weekly newspaper "Musu Pastoge".
- Establishment and construction of the Sydney Lithuanian Club Ltd., and a number of similar Clubs and Cultural Centres in other States. In Adelaide, the construction of a Church and Parish facilities etc.
- Establishment of the Lithuanian Retirement Village in Engadine, N.S.W.
- Establishment of the Australian Lithuanian Foundation. The principal funding organ for the support of significant cultural and educational activities within the Australian Lithuanian Community nationally.
- Establishment and operation of the Lithuanian Sunday School, now the Saturday School, which has played a major role in the teaching of the Lithuanian language and the transfer of the Lithuanian cultural heritage to the offspring of the Community's elder generation.
- Establishment of the Choir "Daina", which this year celebrated its 40'th anniversary.
- Establishment of Sports Clubs "Neris" and "Kovas". The Sports Club "Kovas" survives to this day. This Club plays an active part in district Basketball competitions and has provided champion basketball players for National, State, and NBL teams.
- The organisation and holding of annual Australia wide Sports Festivals. Participation at World Lithuanian Sporting competitions.
- Organisation and participation in biannual Australian Lithuanian Cultural Festivals first commenced in 1960. These festivals include massed Choir Concerts, Drama performances, Literature evenings, Youth Concerts, Folk dancing spectaculars, a range of other cultural activities, biannual meetings of the Australian Lithuanian Community Federal Council, various national meetings of Lithuanian Organisations and so forth. They draw attendance's from Lithuanian Community members Australia wide and from overseas.
- Establishment of the Australian Lithuanian Scouting movement, which amongst its activities organises annual 10 day Scouts Camps. It also participates in, and is aligned with, the Scouting movement in Australia.
- Establishment of Folk dancing groups. Participation in various Folkloric Festivals, e.g. at the Opera House, and elsewhere when invited.
- Publication of numerous literary works by local Lithuanian poets and writers.
- Establishment of the Australian Lithuanian Youth Association. Publication of a quarterly youth magazine in English titled "Jauzinios"
- Financial support of all Lithuanian Community Organisations and their activities. The full dollar amount is impossible to estimate in today's dollars.