Lithuanians in the News
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1st May 2025
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Impressive Art Exhibitions in Lithuania Honour Jurgis Mikševičius (1923 2014), Distinguished Australian Lithuanian Artist |
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At the exhibition opening. (L-R) LNDM
General Director Arūnas Gelūnas, Carolyn Leigh, Helena Mikševičius and Kasiulis Museums directors Ilona Mažeikienė & Regina Urbonienė. Photo courtesy LNDM, Gintarė Grigėnaitė All of this has been made possible by a wonderful and generous gift in 2023 to the Lithuanian National Museum of Art from Mikševičius' family, of a collection of 77 of the artists paintings and graphic works. This gift has also allowed a superb catalogue accompanying the exhibition to be published. On July 4th the catalogue will be presented in Palanga at the Mažvydas Lithuanian National Library Summer Reading Room, together with four of the Librarys latest publications. ![]()
Paintings at the exhibition.
Photo courtesy LNDM, Gintarė Grigėnaitė
His career as an artist spanned nearly seven decades. He exhibited regularly with the Canberra Art Society, the Contemporary Art Society, was a founding member of The Six Directions (a group of Baltic artists) and participated in many Australian and overseas exhibitions. A large retrospective exhibition was held in Sydney in 1997 and several others followed, including at the National Trust Gallery, Leura, Manly Art Gallery & Museum and Bathurst Regional Gallery. Mikševičius work is represented in the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Bathurst Regional Gallery, Manly Art Gallery & Museum, in private international and Australian collections. In Lithuania, at the National MK Čiurlionis Museum, Kaunas, and now at the Lithuanian National Art Museum, Vilnius. ![]()
Jurgio Mikševičiaus pasauliai catalogue.
Photo courtesy Vytautas Kasiulis Museum
For more information: https://www.bernardinai.lt/v-kasiulio-dailes-muziejus-pristato-australijoje-kurusio- lietuvio-tapytojo-j-mikseviciaus-darbus/ https://shop.lndm.lt/jurgio-mikseviciaus-pasauliai https://www.ausrosmuziejus.lt/chaimas-frenkelis-villa/ |
Lithuanians in the Community
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8th December 2024
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AGMs of Australian Lithuanian Communities |
A number of Australian Lithuanian community organisations in Sydney have recently
held their Annual General meetings (AGMs) at the Sydney Lithuanian Club, which is
now housed at the Latvian House in Strathfield. Sydney Lithuanian Club Board Elections ![]()
The re-elected Club Board. (L-R) Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius, Maritsa Cibas,
Romas Cibas, Jonas Penkaitis, Michael Vainauskas. Absent: Gita Gilvydis, Jurgita Černauskaitė. The re-elected office bearers are: Romas Cibas President Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius Vice-President Maritsa Cibas Secretary Jonas Penkaitis Treasurer Jurgita Černauskaitė Director Gita Gilvydis Director Michael Vainauskas - Director Lithuanian Community Publishing Society AGM ![]()
Lithuanian Community Publishing Society new Board.
(Sitting L-R) Dr. Liuda Popenhagen, Romas Cibas, Maritsa Cibas. (Standing L-R) Aida Abromas, Dalia Doniela, Saulius Stepulis, Povilas Janavičius, Petras Vegys. Photo courtesy Dalia Doniela The newly-elected office bearers of the Board are: Dr. Liuda Popengahen President Povilas Janavičius Vice-President Petras Vegys Treasurer Romas Cibas Director Maritsa Cibas Director (Subscriptions) Saulius Stepulis Director At AGM also present were Dalia Doniela, the editor of Lithuanian Community weekly newspaper Mūsų Pastogė, published by the Lithuanian Community Publishing Society, and Aida Abromas, the dispatcher of Mūsų Pastogė. Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney AGM ![]()
The new ALC Committee. (L-R) Akvilė Ciplijauskaitė, Rūta Peleckienė,
Venta Protaitė-Thompson, Jurgita Černauskaitė, Mindaugas Petkūnas, Ernesta Vytienė. (Absent) Irena Dana Stumbras. Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis Jurgita Černauskaitė President Ernesta Vytienė Vice-President Irena Dana Stumbras Teasurer Rūta Peleckienė Secretary Mindaugas Petkūnas Projects co-ordinator Akvilė Ciplijauskaitė Youth representative Venta Protaitė -Thompson Public Officer |
Lithuanians in the News
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16th July 2024
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Australian Lithuanian Domantas Kuzinkovas Wins the Prestigious Sir John Monah Scholarship For Doctoral Studies at Imperial College in London |
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At the Sir John Monash Scholarship award ceremony -
Domantas with Australias Governor-General His Excellency
General The Honourable David Hurley and Mrs. Linda Hurley.
Photo courtesy Kuzinkovas family.
The Imperial College in 2024 has been rated as the best university in Europe, according to the QS World University Rankings, and in the world it is second only to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in America. The General Sir John Monash Foundation provides postgraduate John Monash Scholarships to outstanding Australians with leadership potential who wish to study overseas. In 2024 there are only 16 successful Scholarship winners, rigorously selected from a field of 287 candidates. Domantas has become a Chairman's Circle John Monash Scholar. Chairmans Circle Members include University Chancellors, business and community leaders and the Chairmans Circle supports the award of one or two John Monash Scholars each year. Domantas interest in Biomedical Engineering dates from his undergraduate studies at the University of Sydney in Australia. Biomedical Engineering is a very rapidly evolving field of engineering and, as Domantas says, it allows him to study a perfect mix of his two interests: medicine and technology. Domantas completed his Master of Biomedical Engineering in 2022 and then started work at Cochlear, Australias world-leading biggest neurotechnology company, famous for pioneering developments in cochlear implants for deaf people. This work experience will now be very valuable to him in his PhD research, in tackling the problems of interfacing neurotechnology devices with signal processing electronics. An interesting interview with Domantas can be found in the Australian Lithuanian weekly Mūsų Pastogė (please see below). Congratulations, Domantai! We wish you great achievements in your PhD research! Further information: Mūsų Pastogė, issue 2024.07.03, pp. 3 & 5 https://www.johnmonash.com/about-us/foundation-purpose. https://www.johnmonash.com/donate/chairmans-circle. ![]()
Domantas with his parents Dr. Vytauras Kuzinkovas and
Dr. Daiva Kuzinkovienė at award ceremony. Photo courtesy Kuzinkovas family. ![]()
Domantas at work at the Imperial College, London.
Photo courtesy Kuzinkovas family |
Lithuanians in the News
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14th June 2024
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Lithuanian Heritage Artist, Renata Daina, Presents her First Solo Exhibition in Los Angeles |
![]() Renata was born in the U.S, and spent her youth in Sydney in Australia, where she was an active artistic member of the Sydney Lithuanian Community. She learned traditional Lithuanian textile crafts from her Lithuanian grandmother, Martina Reisgys, who was an expert in the weaving and spinning of traditional Lithuanian materials. (Please see Martinas work described on this website in Community/ Organisations/ Traditional/ Ratelis). Undoubtedly a strong influence has also been from her Lithuanian mother Dr. Luda Popenhagen and her American father Dr. Ron Popenhagen, both of whom have had strong artistic backgrounds. Keystone Gallery describes Renatas work as exploring the precious terrain between ancestral traditions and personal memories. Textiles handwoven by herself, her grandmother, and found fabrics made by unknown weavers are punctuated by painted and embroidered mark making. Intertwining natural fibres, such as raw linen, and synthetic threads emphasize symbiotic rather than dualistic notions. These soft talismans conjure earthly and otherworldly desires that are informed by new materialist theories and pre-Christian cosmologies. Daina studied Fashion & Textile Design at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Sydney and has graduated BFA with Honors Cum Laude from the University of Southern California. Congratulations, Renata! ![]()
An example of Renatas work.
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Lithuanians in the Community
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16th December 2023
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Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney AGM |
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney was held on December 3, 2023, at the Latvian House in Strathfield. A new Committee for the Australian Lithuanian Community - Sydney Inc. was elected, with its members as follows: ![]()
The new Committee of the Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney.
(L-R) Jurgita Černauskaitė, Ernesta Vytienė, Venta Protaitė-Thompson, Akvilė Ciplijauskaitė, Irena Dana Stumbras, Rūta Peleckienė. (Absent) Daumantas Azarinskas. Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis. Jurgita Černauskaitė President Ernesta Vytienė Vice-President Venta Protaitė-Thompson Public Officer Akvilė Ciplijauskaitė Youth representative Irena Dana Stumbras Teasurer Rūta Peleckienė Secretary Daumantas Azarinskas Projects Jonas Penkaitis and Dan Bieri were re-elected as auditors. |
Lithuanians in the Community
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2nd December 2023
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Sydney Lithuanian Club Board Elections |
The 61st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Sydney Lithuanian Club was held on November 12, 2023, at the Latvian House in Strathfield. This was the second AGM after the sale of the Clubs premises in Bankstown and the Club relocating its activities to the Latvian House in Strathfield. It was also the first AGM after a very long time that the Club, even after its support for various Sydney Lithuanian community activities, managed to finish its financial year with a small profit, to the obvious delight of the Clubs members on hearing this. The current Board of seven directors was re-elected for another year. After the conclusion of the AGM, the re-elected Board members decided who the Clubs office bearers will be. The re-elected office bearers are: Romas Cibas President Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius Vice-President Maritsa Cibas Secretary Jonas Penkaitis Treasurer Jurgita Černauskaitė Director Gita Gilvydis Director Gediminas Sauka - Director ![]()
The re-elected Club Board. First row:
(L-R) Dr. Ramutis Zakarevičius, Romas Cibas, Second row: (L-R) Jurgita Černauskaitė, Jonas Penkaitis, Maritsa Cibas. Absent: Gita Gilvydis, Gediminas Sauka. Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis ![]()
Club members attending the Clubs AGM.
Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis. |
Lithuania in the News
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7th October 2023
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Lithuanias President Gitanas Nausėda due to Visit Australia |
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In the photo Prime Minister Albanese and President Nausėda in Vilnius.
(Photo courtesy Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidento kanceliarija / Robertas Dačkus) It will not be the first time that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Gitanas Nausėda have met each other. They met during the recent 2023 NATO Summit in Vilnius, July 11-12, 2023, when Prime Minister Albanese visited Vilnius to take part in the NATO Summit. Further information: Mūsų Pastogė No. 34, 2023.09.06 p.7 & No. 38, 2023.10.04 p.8 |
Lithuanians in the News
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18th July 2023
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World Attention Focussed on Vilnius During the NATO 2023 Summit |
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Presidents Joe Biden and Gitanas Nausėda at the NATO Summit.
Photo courtesy ELTA/Andrius Ufartas Among the distinguished world leaders there present was US President Joe Biden, Australias Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky. The most important topic of decision making at this NATO Summit was the war in Ukraine and NATOs support for Ukraine. On the evening of the second day of the Summit President Bident made an important public address at Vilnius University (https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/lietuviams-svarbiausia-bideno-zinute.d?id=93916935&jwsource=em). It was fitting that this most significant NATO Summit was held in Vilnius in the 700th Jubilee Year of Vilnius foundation by King Gediminas (ca.1275 1341). An ancient legend about Vilnius founding involves a howling Iron Wolf, which was dreamt by Gediminas. The huge Iron Wolf howled so loudly that it shook everything around. The significance of the dream, as explained to Gediminas, was that Gediminas was to found his capital Vilnius at the place of his dreaming and that Vilnius fame and the glory of the deeds of Lithuanias rulers shall echo throughout the world" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Wolf_%28character%29). So, on the 700th anniversary of Vilnius founding, Gediminas dream seems to have been fulfilled! Further information: https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/prezidenturoje-nato-vadovu-priemimas-suplanuota-vakariene-ir-muzikine-programa.d?id=93902249#!dgs=dgslt-357611:10496613 https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/nauseda-jav-prezidento-vizitas-artimu-dvisaliu-santykiu-liudijimas.d?id=93891207#!dgs=dgslt-357529:10493597 |
Lithuanians in the Community
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10th December 2022
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A New Committee for 2023 for the Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney |
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A New Committee for the Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney
This has now been followed by the AGM for 2022, held on December 4, 2022, at the Latvian House in Strathfield. A new Committee for ALC Sydney Inc. was elected at this AGM. In the photograph (L-R) is the new Committee of ALC Sydney Inc.: Daumantas Azarinskas (Vice-president), Ernesta Vytienė (Functions organiser), Jurgita Černauskaitė (President), Rūta Peleckienė (Secretary), Venta Protaitė - Thompson (Public Officer), Absent in the photo - Irena Dana Stumbras (Treasurer) Photo courtesy Saulius Stepulis. |
Lithuanians in the News
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3rd December 2022
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Lidija Šimkutės Poetry Overview at Baltic Studies at Crossroads" Conference at the University of Washington |
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Lidija Šimkutė with Dr. Živilė Gimbutas (on the right) in Vilnius in 2016.
Photo courtesy Lidija Šimkutė Dr. Gimbutas paper was read at the Literature and Language session titled "Writers between Nature and Humankind" on Friday, May 29. It discussed the development of Šimkutė's later bilingual "open" poetry, remarkable for spaces and silences with its possible meanings between verses that followed up from her early lyrics in Lithuanian. Selected poems from the poets bilingual collections were distributed as handouts. As Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have marked 100 years of independence from Soviet rule, the aim of AAABS was to explore how the Baltic States will move forward into the next century, as a crossroads between Europe and Asia, Nordic and Eastern Europe. The conference brought together scholars interested in Baltic studies from all over the world and fostered collaboration between Baltic and Pacific Northwest researchers. The conference included public events, keynote talks by leading Baltic scholars, film screenings, exhibit openings and tours of UWs Baltic collections. |
Lithuanians in the Community
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28th July 2022
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A New Committee for the Australian Lithuanian Community of Sydney |
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The new Committee for Australian Lithuanian Community Sydney Inc.
Photo courtesy Jurgita Černauskaitė In the photograph (L-R) is the new Committee of ALC Sydney Inc.: Rūta Peleckienė (Secretary), Veronika Daukaitė (Member), Irena Dana Stumbras (Treasurer), Jurgita Černauskaitė (President), Daumantas Azarinskas (Vice-president), Venta Protaitė Thompson (Member), Alfonsas Stonis (Member). Venta Protaitė Thompson was also elected as Public Officer. |
Lithuanians in the News
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9th April 2022
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Lithuanian-Heritage Peter Malinauskas Elected Premier of South Australia |
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Peter Malinauskas with healthcare workers just before the election.
Photo courtesy ABC News/ Lincoln Rothall Peter Malinauskas achieved an outstanding win against an incumbent premier, making his opponent a one-term premier, which is challenging task in Australian politics. The 41-year-old Peter Malinauskas has been involved in the trade union movement since his teens and has been a member of the South Australian Parliament since 2015, representing the Australian Labor Party. He has graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Adelaide. In his personal life, Malinauskas is married to lawyer Annabel West and they have two daughters and a son. Congratulations, Peter Malinauskas! Further information: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-19/who-is-sa-premier-peter-malinauskas/100924176 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Malinauskas |
Lithuania in the News
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12th March 2022
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Important Visit to Australia by Lithuanias Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis |
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During the formal opening of Lithuanias Embassy,
Lithuanias Foreign Minister & Honorary Consuls. Photo courtesy Ginta Viliūnas In Australia February 7-10, Mr. Landsbergis met many Australian political and business leaders, to open up business opportunities and scientific cooperation between Australia and Lithuania. He met Australias Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Defence Minister Peter Dutton and other political leaders. He spoke at Australias Strategic Policy Institute and delivered a notable and very well received address to the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday, 10 February 2022. His presentation was entitled The Rules-based World Order Under Attack: The Cases of Ukraine and Taiwan (Please refer to www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2IdwbetbrY). Lithuanias and Australias concerns with cyber security led Mr. Landsbergis to Melbourne on February 8, to RMIT University, for the launch of a joint cyber security initiative between Australia and Lithuania the AustralianLithuanian Cyber Research Network (ALCRN), which will be an important milestone in the scientific cooperation between Lithuania and Australia and will be the first such initiative in the world. In Australia the ALCRN will be led by RMIT Universitys Centre for Cyber Security Research & Innovation, one of Australias leading multi-disciplinary Cyber Security Research Centres, while in Lithuania work for ALCRN will be undertaken by Mykolas Romeris University, one of Lithuanias leading universities specialising in law, public security and public administration. (Please refer to youtu.be/GRpEp-z5bd8). ![]()
Lithuanias Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis
speaking at he National Press Club in Canberra. Photo courtesy National Press Club Further information: 1. https://urm.lt/default/lt/naujienos/ministras-g-landsbergis-tikiu-kad-lietuva-ir-australija-pradeda-nauja-glaudaus-bendradarbiavimo-etapa 2. Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2IdwbetbrY 3. ALCRN: https://youtu.be/GRpEp-z5bd8 4. https://www.techbusinessnews.com.au/news/rmit-university-launches-international-cyber-security-network-between-australia-and-lithuania/ 5. https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/lithuanian-foreign-minister-gabrielius-landsbergis-hails-australian-stance-on-bully-china/news-story/73d541bd638520608cf0741db65ce955 6. https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/verslas/landsbergis-butina-greiciau-siekti-es-ir-australijos-laisvosios-prekybos-susitarimo.d?id=89408799 7. https://www.delfi.lt/verslas/verslas/landsbergis-singapura-matome-kaip-patikima-tarpininka-zengiant-i-kitas-pietryciu-azijos-rinkas.d?id=89397403 |
Lithuanians in the News
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21st November 2021
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Vaclovas Ratas, Distinguished Australian Lithuanian Artist, Honoured by Exhibitions in Lithuania |
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The placard in front of the Vytautas Kasiulis Museum of Art
advertising the Ratas exhibition. Photo courtesy Violeta Šiurkienė The honouring of Vaclovas Ratas was originally meant for his 110-year anniversary in 2020, but had to be delayed until 2021 due to problems caused by the worldwide Covid pandemic. Vaclovas Ratas. Beyond the equator is the name of the exhibition, as can be seen on the placard advertising the exhibition outside the Kasiulis Museum. Over 60 works have been collected for the exhibition. The curators of the exhibition are Regina Urbonienė, Dr.Tojana Račiūnaitė and Ilona Mažeikienė. The exhibition is complemented by two publications, also by the LNDM. One of them is a facsimile edition of the book, The Twelve Ravens, originally published by Ratas in 1949, telling the story of a famous Lithuanian fairy tale and illustrated with 9 original Ratas woodcuts. The other publication is a 200-page comprehensive album, in Lithuanian and English, on the life and times of the artist. ![]()
A view of Ratas works in the Kasiulis Museum. Photo courtesy LNDM
He was also very active in the Australian Lithuanian Community. The album "Eleven Lithuanian Artists in Australia", edited by Ratas in 1967, became the first professional book on Australian Lithuanian artists. The exhibitions in Lithuania forcefully illustrate the impact on graphic art that his works have had. His works have not dated. Nearly 50 years on after his death his works are being highly and widely appreciated. For more information: https://www.lndm.lt/vaclovas-ratas-anapus-pusiaujo/ https://klaipeda.diena.lt/naujienos/klaipeda/menas-ir-pramogos/p-domsaicio-galerijoje-klaipedoje-dvi-naujos-meno-parodos-1048324 https://www.atviraklaipeda.lt/2021/10/28/prano-domsaicio-galerijoje-zymaus-australijos-lietuvio-kurybos-paroda/ https://pasauliolietuvis.lt/prano-domsaicio-galerijoje-nauja-paroda-vaclovas-ratas-anapus-pusiaujo/ Vaclovas Ratas Dvylika juodvarnių (The Twelve Ravens) | Lietuvos nacionalinis dailės muziejus (lndm.lt) |
Lithuania in the News
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18th September 2021
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Lithuanias Ambassador to Australia Ready to Take up Post |
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Ambassador Darius Degutis. Photo courtesy lrytas.lt, by J.Stacevičius
Ambassador Degutis will be continuing a distinguished diplomatic career. He was Lithuanias Ambassador to Poland 2001 2004 and to Israel 2009 2014. Born in 1963, he graduated from Vilnius University in 1986 and joined Lithuanias Foreign Ministry in 1991, soon after Lithuania had re-established its independence. His other diplomatic postings abroad have included as advisor to Lithuanias Embassy in Denmark (1992) and as Minister-advisor in Lithuanias Embassy in Washington (1998 - 2001). On presenting Ambassador Degutis credentials, President Nausėda emphasised Australias regional significance and hopes for more economic cooperation between Australia and Lithuania, especially in life sciences, biotechnologies, information technologies. He also emphasised the need to enhance the relations with the Lithuanian diaspora in Australia. For more information: https://www.lrytas.lt/lietuvosdiena/aktualijos/2021/08/15/news/ambasadoriumi-australijoje-paskirtas-d-degutis-prie-unesco-j-balciuniene-20434218 https://www.lrp.lt/en/news/credentials-presented-to-lithuanias-ambassadors-to-the-permanent-representation-at-unesco-and-to-australia/36525 https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darius_Degutis |