Summer of Your Word
In the summer of 2021, after more than a year spent at home in front of computer screens and a real yearning for live encounters, the association “Jaunimo debatai” launched a summer programme of three initiatives. We are proud that, as part of the project “Tavo žodžio vasara” (eng. “Summer of Your Word”), we successfully visited more than a hundred students in six schools from different Lithuanian cities (September), that we organised four public debates (July–August) and that we once again successfully discussed, learned and debated for a whole weekend as part of our summer academy (August).
Self-education and the ability to engage in constructive debates on complex issues are the way not only to personal but also to political development. During the coronavirus pandemic, the whole world observed signs supposedly marking the weaknesses of democracy: Governments’ inability to provide security for all its citizens, the slowness of democratic decision-making, the growing division between different societal groups and the general decline in trust in the democratic system. During the “Tavo žodžio vasara” project, it was crucial for our association to evaluate this critical discourse of democracy, to discuss the importance of resilience in different communities and to decide whether the survival of democracy in general is up to challenges of our times. We believe that participating in this year’s summer events organised by our association not only helped young people in Lithuania to gain an insight into the work of state institutions, but also gave them the opportunity to actively participate in shaping the public sphere, inspired them to engage in social activities and helped them to make new acquaintances.
In cooperation with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Vilnius, we organised a series of discussion events “Democracy Today” (lt. “Demokratija šiandien”) from July to August. The initiative aimed to stimulate open and profound discussions on fundamental questions for Lithuanian society: “Is it bad to be disillusioned with democracy?”, “Does a citizen have to be socially and politically active?” and “Should we tolerate intolerance?” The event series consisted of three debates in major Lithuanian cities on key topics for democracy (knowledge of democracy, civic engagement and tolerance), each involving two experts – politicians, journalists, academics, etc. – and two young people to represent the views of the younger generation in a “hear-understand-respond” debate. We are also pleased with the success of the final panel debate – “The future of democracy is in our hands. How should we build it?” – which concluded this month-long series of debates. For more information, see DEMOCRACY TODAY.
Also in August, we organised the association’s now traditional summer academy in cooperation with the Goethe Institute Lithuania and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) in the Baltic States. We are aware that the question “Is the state’s interest in the interest of its citizens?” is becoming increasingly difficult to answer – especially when observing the events in one of Lithuania’s neighbouring countries – so we discussed the question of a democratic system and a conscious (resilient) society. The academy, which took place from the 13th to the 15th of August, brought together more than 30 young people from the country into the family residence of President Antanas Smetona, who all had the opportunity to take part in discussions with such speakers as the former Deputy Energy Minister Rytis Kėvelaitis, journalist Skirmantas Malinauskas or “mindfulness” teacher Janina Sabaitė-Melnikovienė. More information: SUMMER ACADEMY 2021.
And in the autumn, the association’s team – together with more than 150 students from six Lithuanian schools – immersed themselves in “Seimas Insider”: an experimental, educational simulation of the Lithuanian parliament. Throughout September, members of our association met with students from five different cities (Vilnius, Kaunas, Kėdainiai, Birštonas and Trakai) to discuss and find solutions to an issue of great importance to the international Lithuanian community – the question of legalising multiple citizenship. For more information, see: SEIMAS INSIDER.
