Press Releases

The President: By helping each other, we create a better Lithuania

Sunday, December 5, Vilnius - President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė visited a Christmas Charity Fair organized in the Courtyard of the Presidential Palace by non-governmental organizations, to buy Christmas souvenirs hand-made by disabled persons and to invite all people of the country to help make Christmas more beautiful for those who cannot do this themselves.

"What non-governmental organizations do is invaluable. Large numbers of volunteers and plenitude of ideas for assistance to each other show that Lithuanian people understand responsibility for the people close to them, for all people of the country and for the country itself. Today we mark the International Volunteer Day, and year 2011 has been announced as the European Year of Volunteering. By helping each other, by sharing what we have, by joining other people who dedicate their time and skills to volunteering, we not only make Christmas more beautiful, we also create a better Lithuania and a better world," the President said.

21 NGOs presented their projects in the Fair inviting everybody to help poor families, people with disabilities, deserted old people and children, women victims of violence, large families and most heavily crisis-stricken people These were: the Order of Malta assistance service; charity and support foundations Food Bank, Dienvidis, and Mūsų fondas; society of people with mental retardation Viltis; children care home SOS vaikų kaimas; Lithuanian Caritas; public institutions Vaikai - visuomenės dalis, Mažoji guboja, Acto Catholica Patria; Lithuanian scouts; social centre of the Blessed Jurgis Matulaitis; Red Cross Society; children and youth occupation centre of Anykščiai, Vilnius Children and Youth Fine Art School; Lithuanian Union of Persons with Disabilities; Bernardino community; Youth Psychological Support Centre; association JCI sostinė; association of large families; and support centre for families of missing persons.

The national orchestra of people with disabilities Spalvų muzika, singer Veronika Povilionienė, the gospel choir of St. Jonh's Church, Neringa and Tele bim bam singers, and the choir Ažuoliukas gave a Christmas concert. Actor Leonardas Pobedonscevas acted as the host of the event.