News & Stories Archives - Page 2 of 12 - Kazickas Family Foundation

XVII Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of North America

From July 10–12, Chicago hosted the 17th Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival of North America, Between Two Shores, one of the largest Lithuanian diaspora cultural events in recent decades. The festival brought together more than 2,000 dancers representing 78 folk dance groups from Ireland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Argentina, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Lithuania and others.

For many years, the Kazickas Family Foundation has proudly supported North American Lithuanian Song and Folk Dance Festivals, helping preserve Lithuanian culture, traditions, and national identity within the diaspora. The Foundation remains committed to initiatives that strengthen ties between Lithuanians living abroad and their homeland while ensuring that Lithuania’s cultural heritage is passed on to future generations. Neila Baumilienė, KFF Executive Director in the US, attended this year’s festival.

The tradition of the North American Lithuanian Folk Dance Festival began in 1957, when the Lithuanian community in Chicago organized the very first festival. Since then, it has become one of the most important cultural traditions of the Lithuanian diaspora, bringing together thousands of dancers and spectators every few years to celebrate their shared heritage.

The three-day celebration featured not only spectacular folk dance performances but also concerts, art exhibitions, educational programs, and creative activities that showcased the richness of Lithuanian culture and the strength of the global Lithuanian community.

Photos: Highlights from the festival, including alumni of the Alexandra Kazickas Lithuanian School – Leila, Kai, and Aiden Genender.

Photo credit: Gintautė Genender

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A Partnership of over a Decade Between the Kazickas Family Foundation and “Sodžiaus meistrai”

News & Stories, Youth Empowerment and Education

A Partnership of over a Decade Between the KFF and “Sodžiaus meistrai”

On June 19, a graduation ceremony was held at the Sodžiaus meistrai trade school, marking an important milestone in the professional journeys of its graduates.

This year, more than 30 qualified specialists (carpenters, culinary professionals, and sustainable landscaping specialists) completed their studies – for some, this was their first professional step, while for others it marked a new direction.

The event was attended by Monika Zavistanavičiūtė, Acting Executive Director of the Kazickas Family Foundation in Lithuania, and Neila Baumilienė, Director of the Foundation’s New York office, who congratulated the graduates and wished them success in their future professional paths.

The KFF has been collaborating with the trade school since 2013. One of the most significant examples of this partnership is the Jean and Margaret Bigot Scholarship, established in 2022 to support talented, active, motivated, and socially disadvantaged students.

The initiative was launched by Neila Baumilienė. It is funded by the Bigot family’s relatives and friends, while the Kazickas Family Foundation matches the contributions. The scholarship provides €1,000 per student per academic year, and in the 2025–2026 academic year it has been awarded to 11 students.

Sodžiaus meistrai was founded in 2002 at the initiative of the Congregation of St. John, with the aim of helping socially vulnerable young people gain a profession and build independent lives. Today, the school continues this mission by providing opportunities to develop practical skills, responsibility, and professional readiness, as well as to obtain a new qualification.

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Kazickas Family Sacred Music Hours – 23rd Season

Art & Culture, News & Stories

Kazickas Family Sacred Music Hours – 23rd Season

The 23rd season of the Kazickas Family Sacred Music Hours has officially opened. Since 2003, this concert series has become an important part of Vilnius’ summer cultural life, bringing together outstanding performers and audiences who appreciate sacred music year after year.

This year’s season opened with soprano Vismantė Vasaitytė-Benkunskienė, the internationally acclaimed Šiauliai Boys’ and Youth Choir “Dagilėlis”, led by Remigijus Adomaitis, and organist as well as the festival’s longtime artistic director, professor Renata Marcinkutė-Lesieur.

This summer, audiences can look forward to 14 more Sacred Music Hours concerts featuring performers from Lithuania, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Poland.

A special concert honoring the 85th wedding anniversary of Mrs. Alexandra Kazickas and Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas will feature Nida Grigalavičiūtė (USA), Eglė Juozapaitienė, Vytautas Juozapaitis, Liudas Mikalauskas, the Chicago Lithuanian Opera Chorus (led by Nida Grigalavičiūtė), and organist Renata Marcinkutė-Lesieur.

We invite you to become part of this long-standing musical tradition and experience the beauty of sacred music in the heart of Vilnius.

Click to see full program of the Christopher Summer Festival

Photos Modestas Endriuška

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Business Trip to Estonia: Strengthening Baltic and Diaspora Connections

Diaspora Engagement, News & Stories

KFF Business Trip to Estonia: Strengthening Baltic and Diaspora Connections

Estonia is one of Lithuania’s closest regional partners, with well-established diaspora, academic, and cultural networks that continue to offer strong potential for cooperation.

A recent visit to Tallinn and Tartu on June 16–18 by representatives of the Kazickas Family Foundation – Neila Baumilienė, Executive Director in the United States, and Monika Zavistanavičiūtė, Acting Executive Director in Lithuania – highlighted the growing importance of these connections and the role of sustained engagement across the Baltic region.

The visit, held at the invitation of H.E. Gitana Skripkaitė, Ambassador at Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania to the Republic of Estonia, focused on presenting Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas’ memoir, Odyssey of Hope, and introducing the KFF’s work to the Lithuanian community in Estonia and international audiences. It also provided an opportunity to deepen relationships with academic and cultural partners in Estonia and to explore new areas of collaboration.

Meetings in Tallinn and Tartu brought together representatives of diplomacy, academia, and the Lithuanian-Estonian community. At the Lithuanian Embassy in Estonia, discussions centred on diaspora engagement and ongoing priorities for community outreach. With support from Bradley Woodworth, Head of the Baltic Studies Program at Yale University, KFF also met with Estonian Yale postdoctoral alumni to exchange research perspectives and consider future academic cooperation across the Baltic region.

In Tartu, conversations with Lithuania’s Honorary Consul Birutė Klaas-Lang focused on heritage language education and the role of diaspora institutions in maintaining cultural identity. In Tallinn, a gathering of the Lithuanian-Estonian community brought together around 30 participants for a presentation and discussion on the legacy of Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas and Alexandra Kazickas and the Foundation’s ongoing initiatives.

The program also included a meeting with the Director, exhibition curators, and Education Project Manager of the Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn, the largest private museum in Estonia dedicated to the country’s recent history, as well as a visit to the Memorial to the Victims of Communism, offering a moment to reflect and honor the victims of the Soviet regime.

The visit underscored the continued relevance of Baltic cooperation in a period marked by regional uncertainty, highlighting shared priorities in education, cultural exchange, and diaspora engagement.

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Remembering Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas

News & Stories, Uncategorized

Remembering Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas

On June 17, we remember and honor Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas, who was born 106 years ago, on June 17, 1920. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother of five children, and a steadfast life partner to her husband, Dr. Joseph P. Kazickas (1918–2014).

Together, they endured the hardships of war in Lithuania, life in refugee camps in Germany, and the challenge of building a new life in America.

Today, we remember her above all for the values by which she lived – her love for her family, devotion to Lithuania, loyalty to her friends, humility, grace, and generosity.

Alexandra’s life was guided by compassion for others and a sincere desire to help those around her. Even in the most difficult moments, she never lost her faith, gratitude, or her ability to care for others. These values are reflected in the words she wrote in her diary in 1975:

“I felt bad for all of them and would have liked to help them but did not know how. But then I think again, if only my being here provides a bit of happiness for these people, if only my visit turns their monotonous days into a ray of sunshine, then my trip, my inconvenience, my personal sadness and longing are so insignificant. And it does look to me that I make them happy.”

Alexandra Kalvenas-Kazickas passed away on June 17, 2011, at the age of 91. Her life continues to inspire us to cultivate compassion and care for one another.

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Child-Safe Environment Standards: From Idea to Practice

News & Stories, Youth Empowerment and Education

Child-Safe Environment Standards: From Idea to Practice

Children’s and adolescents’ emotional well-being is becoming an increasingly important challenge worldwide. Research shows that many young people experience emotional difficulties. According to the 2022 HBSC study, one in three Lithuanian students rates their psychological well-being below average.

Launched in 2024, the Smart-Ups initiative now brings together around 40 representatives from the business, nonprofit, and public sectors, united by a shared goal: creating emotionally safer environments for children.

One of the most significant outcomes of this collaboration is the Child-Safe Environment Standards (CSES) – a set of seven guidelines designed for institutions and organizations that educate, support, and provide services to children. The standards were developed to be adaptable across a wide range of child-focused settings, including preschools, schools, after-schools centers, and other educational and care institutions. More information about CSES is available in the comments (in Lithuanian).

This year the initiative’s second phase has been completed, during which the standards were piloted in eight schools across Vilnius. Throughout the pilot project, school communities – including students, parents, teachers, administrators, and other staff members – worked together to assess needs, test the standards in practice, and identify effective approaches to building safer environments.

During the pilot review sessions, participants shared results, insights, and challenges encountered while implementing the standards. These experiences will help further refine the model and expand its application.

Together with EIKA Group, ACME Group, and other partners, KFF is proud to be a founding partner of the Smartuoliai network and to support this initiative. We believe that every child deserves to grow up in an environment where they feel safe, heard, and respected.

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Baltic Fundraising Summit 2026

News & Stories

Baltic Fundraising Summit 2026

Sharing moments from Fundraising Summit 2026 – the largest event in Lithuania dedicated to NGO growth, bringing together more than 200 specialists from across the sector. For the third year, the Kazickas Family Foundation has contributed to the conference by gifting tickets to its grantees.

This year, 20 representatives from supported organizations were given the opportunity to attend the event. The conference placed strong emphasis on practical insights into fundraising trends, communication principles, and experience sharing.

A valuable collaboration with Baltic Fundraising Hub – the event organizers and leaders in the field. They consistently raise the standards of professionalism and dignity among Lithuanian non-governmental organizations and help strengthen their competencies.

KFF believes in the importance of long-term organizational growth. By providing platforms for learning, networking, and sharing best practices, we aim to ensure that our grantees have the tools they need to grow and create meaningful change.

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“Youth Can” has completed its 12th season

News & Stories, Youth Empowerment and Education

"Youth Can" has completed its 12th season

The life skills development program for youth in regional Lithuania engaged almost 200 young people from 11 towns, with activities held twice a week throughout the year. Participants took part in a variety of challenges – from entrepreneurship initiatives to organizing unconventional sports events and activities promoting mindful movement.

On May 9, the season closing event in Kaunas brought participants and KFF administration together to compete in 10 challenges, where they demonstrated physical endurance, logical thinking, creativity, and teamwork.

In 2014, KFF initiated the program with the aim of using physical activity as a tool to strengthen life skills among young people in regional areas. Youth education and empowerment remain one of the Foundation’s priority areas of support.

Photos by Kamilė Kaveckaitė

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How to Act in a Crisis: The Kazickas Family Foundation Organized a Practical Training Series for Partner Organizations

Crisis Response, News & Stories

How to Act in a Crisis: The Kazickas Family Foundation Organized a Practical Training Series for Partner Organizations

How would you respond if you received an emergency alert? Public surveys show that only 2 out of 10 people know the basic steps to take in such situations. In today’s context of growing security threats, preparedness and resilience are becoming increasingly important across all sectors. Knowing how to respond in emergencies is not only useful – it is essential, as it reduces fear, builds confidence, and contributes to a more resilient society.

Kazickas Family Foundation considers it important to support its partner organizations in strengthening organizational preparedness and understanding their role within the broader context of national security. For this reason, the Foundation organized a civic preparedness training series this spring for representatives of its partner organizations. More than 20 organizations from across Lithuanian cities and regions took part, including those working with youth, children, and other vulnerable groups.

On April 24, 40 representatives from partner organizations attended a Civil Resistance Preparedness course organized in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania. The training focused strongly on practical readiness. Participants learned how to pack an emergency go-bag, assess which items are essential for the first 72 hours, use a tourniquet in the event of severe bleeding, and plan responses to unexpected situations while better understanding their responsibilities both as individuals and within their organizations. The course instructor also shared firsthand experience from Ukraine, emphasizing that preparedness is not about fear, but about caring for oneself, loved ones, and the community.

The training series continued in May in cooperation with Lithuanian Red Cross. On May 6 and 13, emotional support basics and first aid training sessions were held at the Kazickas Family Foundation residence, attended by 15 partner representatives.

Theoretical knowledge was combined with practical exercises and real-life scenarios. Participants learned how to provide first aid and support individuals experiencing severe emotional stress or shock by applying the methods introduced during the sessions. The training also covered ways to care for one’s own emotional well-being and practical techniques that can be applied in daily work. These skills are especially important for NGOs, which often become the first points of assistance in vulnerable communities.

Monika Zavistanavičiūtė, Acting Executive Director of the KFF in Lithuania, emphasized that in response to the current geopolitical situation and ongoing disinformation spread by hostile states, the Foundation is placing a strong focus in 2026 on security, civic resistance, critical thinking, and public awareness.

“Strengthening knowledge and competencies in these areas — both within our own team and by involving our partners — is an important part of our strategy this year,” said Zavistanavičiūtė. “This is why we have started closer cooperation with organizations such as the Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Red Cross, which we see as among the most trusted partners in Lithuania for educating society about crises and preparedness for emergency situations.”

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Why does the KFF invest in STEM fields?

News & Stories, Youth Empowerment and Education

Why does the KFF invest in STEM fields?

The Kazickas Family Foundation is now accepting applications for its STEM scholarship program, designed for talented Lithuanians pursuing studies at universities abroad. The program is introduced by its initiator, Jurate Kazickaite. In the interview video, she shares why STEM fields are important for Lithuania’s future and how this initiative came to life.

The program is intended for talented Lithuanians who have already been accepted into undergraduate or graduate STEM programs abroad. Its goal is not only to provide financial support, but also to empower young people to contribute to Lithuania’s future progress.

The application deadline is May 30, 2026.

Selected candidates may receive a scholarship of up to EUR 10,000 to cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other study-related costs.

More information on application requirements can be found here.

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