Migration Matters
The meeting in Vilnius, Lithuannia
8th - 12th April 2019
The meeting in Vilnius was organized as a "short term exchange of groups of pupils". According to the agenda of our project, it focused on addressing incidents of forced migration.
Before the meeting, all the national teams researched incidents of forced migration in their country during the period 1920-1950. The historical circumstances that lead to such incidents, the areas where people moved, their living and working conditions e.t.c. The information collected was shared with the rest of our partners and was used during the meeting held in Vilnius, Lithuania in April 2019 to create a common interactive map that integrated all the information.
The research carried out by the project partners is available at the "Forced Migration" link of our twinspace. The interactive map created during the meeting is available to the global community at https://maphub.net/Zverynogimn/migration-matters
Our choice to address the topic of "forced migration" at the meeting held in Lithuania derived from the intense Lithuanian history on this matter. Specifically, 1940-1953 were the years that marked Lithuanian history as the years of mass deportations, the Lithuanian genocide, state occupations and fights for independence. In nearly 13 years the authorities of the Soviet Union, with the help of KGB and military structures, deported around 140000 people from Lithuania. Those people were of different nationalities (Lithuanians, Poles, Belarussians), representatives of various professions (teachers, officers, doctors, politicians, farmers). Most of the exiled people remained an eternal rest in the icy lands of Siberia. During this meeting, an attempt was made to approach this tragic period in Lithuanian history by listening to memories, exploring museum exhibits, participating in educational activities and excursions. All participants were brought together by a joint activity - interactive map of the exile.
Monday, 8th April 2019
All participants of the project were met at Vilnius Žvėrynas Gymnasium. Daiva Žiurienė, the headmistress of the gymnasium, made a welcome speech. The member of Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the former Lithuanian ambassador to the United States, politician Žygimantas Pavilionis also addressed the assembled participants and guests. He also welcomed the process of the international project, encouraged both students and teachers to be interested in the history and culture of other countries. The folklore ensemble of the gymnasium called Dolija introduced Lithuanian culture with national Lithuanian dances and songs. The ensemble's repertoire includes dances, instruments, songs coming from our neighboring countries. They were presented by the members of Dolija.
The Participants of the project heard a report on stereotypes related to Lithuania. Moreover, the most famous Lithuanian emigrants were presented as well as an aspect, that will be analyzed in Lithuania, and a weekly program. Also, the project participants were divided into 5 international working groups where they played ice-breaking games, such as acting charades with the theme of traveling.
In the afternoon, everyone took part in an orientational guided tour of the Old Town of Vilnius, where they heard stories about famous foreign architects, naturalists, poets, historians who left a footprint by decorating Vilnius with their works.
Tuesday, 9th April 2019
Participants of the project went to Vilnius suburb Naujoji Vilnia, where they visited deportees‘ cattle wagons and sculpture for the victims of exile. They also heard a story about the beginning of deportations in Lithuania.
Later they traveled to the Lithuanian-Belarusian state border. The guide showed and described how the boundaries of the border had been set and told how the people of both countries were living at the border. Participants also learned how the state border is protected and the ways people cross it. In the village of Norviliškės, where the castle of Norviliškės is located near the border there was a culinary education organized, which introduced the old Lithuanian cuisine. Later pupils participated in a treasure hunt and creative tasks.
Thursday, 11th April 2019
The making of an interactive exile map
Early in the morning, the participants of the project went to the Museum of Occupation and Freedom Fighting (formerly the KGB building) for a sightseeing tour. During their visit, they looked at prison facilities, expositions that represented the history of deportees and partisans. They also watched the documentary "Ice of June".
Later, in international groups, students participated in a specially prepared for a project education program “Geography of Exile and Detention Places in the Soviet Union”. During that education, they gathered material for an interactive map of exile: geographical features of the area, climatic conditions, labor that was done by exiles, other important and interesting information. They looked for photos in expositions of the museum.
By working in groups and getting consultations from the museum's educologists, history teacher O. Jonykiene, students selected the material and produced an interactive exile map. All the partners put their material into the same map, presenting their country's history of forced emigration.
The interactive map created during the meeting is available to the global community at https://maphub.net/Zverynogimn/migration-matters
Wednesday, 10th April 2019
In a hall of the gymnasium, the project participants were introduced to the project "Mission Siberia" which is organized in Lithuania for the second decade. Participants of this project, after passing a difficult selection, travel to exile sites in Siberia for two weeks. There they rehabilitate the cemeteries of the deportees and communicate with their remaining descendants. The popularity of this mission shows that historical memory is very important for Lithuanian youth. The participants of the project had a unique opportunity to communicate with a "Mission Siberia" 2017 participant, journalist, television host, interpreter Andrius Tapinas. He shared his experience on the expedition in distant Siberia. The guest was retelling about the difficulties and challenges he faced while rehabilitating the graves, making crosses. A. Tapinas showed many photos and footage from his expedition.
The history of exile is not just a story of history textbooks. Every third Lithuanian family is affected by this tragic destiny. So the school initiated a project called ”My Siberian true story“ whose participants gathered their family stories: deportees' stories, memories, and photos. Three stories were presented to the gymnasium students and community participants, that were illustrated with real photos of the deportees. The story about a godfather, exiled to Siberia, was presented by the project participant Rugilė Stukonytė. The english teacher Eglė Kvaraciejienė also talked in a very sensitive way about her family deportees. Diana Galkantaite, the student of „Lietuvių namai“ gymnasium, shared stories with the participants of the project about her grandparents' exile and also her personal story about her return to Lithuania from Kazakhstan. The girl told how important it was (two years ago) for her to return to the native lands of her grandparents who had died in exile.
In the afternoon the participants of the project visited the city of Trakai and became acquainted with one of the oldest immigrants in Lithuania - Karaims, who came from Crimea and have lived in Lithuania for more than 600 years and cherish their culture. An educational - culinary lesson was organized over there, during which they baked kibinai - a dish from Karaim cuisine.
Friday, 14th December 2018
The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania welcomed the participants of the project and prepared a special musical program for them, during which everyone learned about the “traveling” culture: from where one or another instrument came to Lithuania, what popular melodies and dances were taught by foreign teachers. We listened to the old music, the participants of the project studied the ancient dances in the grand hall of dukes.
In the conference hall of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, the international project participants presented their interactive map work, telling what they learned during the week in Lithuania. This map will be available at all times for educational purposes, it is placed in a twinspace platform. If necessary, it can be corrected, filled.
All project participants were welcomed by a historian of The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, senior educator, Doctor of History Sciences Nelė Asadauskienė, who was delighted with the results of the project and invited the guests to come to Lithuania again.
Project participants received certificates.
In the evening, a farewell concert and party took place in the gymnasium.