The Lithuanian Resource Center

These posts about Vaiva's actions connected to the restoration of Lithuanian independence are a bit out of order. What follows is a summary of activities through the Spring of 1990, of what was achieved in just a few months. You can see Vaiva's process at work here, and she would replicate this approach with the creation of a.p.p.l.e. Imagine the future that you want, then decide what needs to be done today to make that future happen.

Lithuanian Resource Center
Spring 1990
Progress Report

Today, we are ending an era, a half-century of brutal repression of Lithuania by the Soviet Union. During the past fifty years, the Lithuanian diaspora has had but one mission: to keep hope alive. Hope that Lithuania would once again be free, hope that Lithuanian tradition, culture and language would be saved, hope that exiles might return home.

In that mission we succeeded.

Now, the Lithuanian-American Community undertakes a new mission, one of equal urgency and even greater complexity for the future of Lithuania.

Look into the future for a moment. Imagine that Lithuania is independent, and has been for five years. The Lithuanian economy has grown out of the extraordinary crisis that was the legacy of 50 years of cruel, Soviet mismanagement. Lithuania has retaken its rightful place in the world of nations.

At that time, there will be a free flow of information, ideas, and people between Lithuania and the United States. Lithuanian-Americans will be looking for business and career opportunities in Lithuania. Many Lithuanians will be seeking education in the U.S., as well as business partners and venture capital.

To facilitate the free flow of information and ideas the Lithuanian-American Community will need a clearinghouse, a resource available to all Connecticut Lithuanians who are actively promoting progress in Lithuania. The clearinghouse will be the Lithuanian Resource Center in Connecticut. The Lithuanian Resource Center was established to create and maintain the information channels necessary for maximum social, economic, political and cultural intercourse between Lithuanians, Lithuanian-Americans, and other leaders and influential persons in America.

That is the future. Today, we must lay its foundation. Our immediate goal, the goal of Lithuanians everywhere, is securing her independence. Our initial contribution will be to help mobilize political support in the U.S. for Lithuanian independence. The Lithuanian Resource Center will assist the various Lithuanian social and religious groups to give our cause a greater voice in the American media. The Lithuanian Resource Center, with direction for the Lithuanian-American Community, will apply direct, persistent pressure on American politicians, first for political and moral support for independence, then for direct economic assistance for Lithuania.

Once Lithuania has gained control of her economy, the focus will shift to supporting a rapid shift to a market-based economy. The single most critical shortage in Lithuania in this regard will be knowledge, a detailed understanding of how a market economy can be powerful engine of progress. To overcome this deficiency, we hope to actively promote contacts between Lithuanians and political and business leaders in the U.S., with a particular emphasis on agricultural specialists. The Resource Center will support exchange programs based upon educational, business, and cultural themes.

The Lithuanian-American Community of Connecticut and the Connecticut Lithuanian Resource Center will provide some of the keys that will unlock the extraordinary potential of the Lithuanian people, for progress and prosperity into the next century and beyond.

Goal: Establish and operate an information clearinghouse on activities of Lithuanian-Americans in Connecticut, on news from Lithuania, and on political developments in the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch.

An office has been established, supplies and office equipment has been purchased. The office is staffed for 20 hours each week by a core group of 6 volunteers. Daily pre-recorded news is left on the answering machine when the office is not staffed.

The Services of the Resource Center have been advertised to all Lithuanian parishes, both Lithuanian radio shows, Darbininkas, and in the American media. Continuous links to other hotline services around the country have been established.

Goal: Achieve financial stability.

To date, the Resource Center has collected approximately $3,000 in spontaneous donations and $2,000 from a fund raising event.

Goal: Increase American understanding of the issues surrounding Lithuanian independence and foster grass-roots support.

The Resource Center collected over 160,000 petition signatures. The petitions were copied, collated, and bound into over 60 volumes. Signatures were collected from 49 states and 27 foreign countries in support of Lithuanian independence.

The Center has contacted dozens of newspapers, radio and television stations with reports on the establishment of the Center, the petition drive, and the impact of the economic blockade in Lithuania. Permanent press contacts have been established.

Goal: Increase political support for Lithuania in the Congress and the Executive Branch.

Resource Center staffers have visited Washington DC on six occasions to lobby the Connecticut Congressional delegation as well as other Congressmen. A strong and effective list of legislative contacts has been started and is growing daily. Representative Dick Durbin has indicated that such lobbying had a marked positive impact on the passage of his pro-Lithuania trade bill amendment.

The petition originals were presented to Sichan Siv, Deputy Assistant to the President for Public Liaison at the White House on May 29, 1990. Copies were presented to Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell on June 11, 1990, and the impact of the petition and legislative prospects were specifically discussed with Senate Minority Leader Robert Dole and Representative Robert Byrd that same day.

Goal: Provide access for Lithuanians to U.S. leaders and resources.

Contacts have been established for two Lithuanian scientists with professors at Yale, the University of Hartford, and the University of Connecticut.

The Center has also served as a collection point for donation intended for medical supplies for Lithuania. To date, over $1,000 has been sent to the Lemont Mercy Lift and Lithuanian Catholic Religious Aid - Life for Lithuania.