In November, Kazickas family members Jurate and Lucy Kazickas visited Lithuania, where they met with KFF partners, representatives of diaspora and educational initiatives, and members of Lithuania’s philanthropic community. The Kazickas family’s continued engagement in Lithuania and its future-oriented initiatives reflects their commitment to maintaining close ties with organizations, partners, and communities across the country. In-person meetings provide an important opportunity to hear about their experiences and discuss areas where the Foundation can make a meaningful contribution.

A special highlight of the visit was the celebration of President Valdas Adamkus’s 100th birthday. Kazickas family members attended a grand centenary concert at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, honoring the President’s life and lifelong service to Lithuania. The occasion held particular significance for the Kazickas family, as President Valdas Adamkus and Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas shared a longstanding friendship, a bond that continues to be cherished by subsequent generations of the Kazickas family.

During a meeting with Lucie Stepanyan, Ambassador of France to Lithuania, and representatives of the French Institute in Lithuania, the participants discussed future cooperation aimed at promoting French language education in Lithuanian schools and strengthening teachers’ professional competencies.

During the visit, a meeting was held with participants in NEXUS, a one-year career development program launched by Bring Together Lithuania for university-educated diaspora professionals aged 20–35 seeking to establish themselves in Lithuania. The program’s first nine participants, from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, shared their professional backgrounds, interests, and plans for the future in Lithuania.

A meeting also took place with Gintautas Zintelis, former Minister of Communications and Informatics of Lithuania. He reflected on his longstanding collaboration with Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas and their contribution to the development of Lithuania’s telecommunications sector. In 1995, Mr. Zintelis placed Lithuania’s first official GSM mobile phone call to Dr. J. P. Kazickas in the United States, marking a milestone in the country’s mobile communications history.

Lithuania’s cultural heritage was another focus of the visit. During a meeting with Gražina Michnevičiūtė, Director of the Jonas Mekas Visual Arts Center, the center’s team, and Sebastian Mekas, the group learned more about the center’s work, the artistic heritage of the Lithuanian diaspora, and the creative legacies of Jonas Mekas and Jurgis Mačiūnas, a pioneer of the Fluxus movement. The delegation also visited TARTLE, the Lithuanian Art Knowledge Center, where they met with its founder, Rolandas Valiūnas, and the center’s team.

An important part of the visit was an evening gathering with Lithuanian philanthropic families. The event brought together both families with longstanding traditions of charitable giving and those just beginning their philanthropic journeys. Participants exchanged experiences and presented initiatives they support to help strengthen Lithuania.

Meetings with the Foundation’s partners, representatives of cultural and educational organizations, and members of the philanthropic community provide valuable opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of their work and explore ways to advance causes important to the Kazickas family and the Foundation. Direct engagement and the continued cultivation of relationships remain an essential part of the Kazickas family’s and the Foundation’s work in Lithuania.

Photo from the celebration of President Valdas Adamkus’s 100th birthday: D. Umbrasas | LRT.