‘There are high chances of achieving happiness’. Vilnius Region and the youths

On one hand people associate the Vilnius Region with apathetic youths that are unwilling to get to understand different points of view while on the other, the region attracts with its multiculturalism, rich nature, and beautiful towns. What attracts and what discourages young people from the Vilnius Region ?

Politicians have raised the alarm some time ago that Lithuania becomes desolate. It is more and more often heard that the youths ‘run away’ abroad after the Matura exam. Is it really true that young people from Lithuania, including those from the Vilnius Region, don’t have sufficient conditions to realize their professional or artistic ideas ?

‘In my opinion, an educated Pole in the Vilnius Region has quite big opportunities for development. We can look at Jarosław Niewierowicz, current Minister of Energy or at Edward Trusewicz, Deputy Minister of Culture, as at good examples. Maybe they are not youth as such, but still, we should notice that they managed to achieve such important offices at the very young age. I always say that Polish community in the Vilnius Region is a chance – everybody knows each other – sometimes it is helpful and sometimes it is not. And it’s not just about politics’ – said to zw.lt Barbara Jundo-Kaliszewska, administrator of a Facebook funpage ‘Ejszyszki – our town’. She’s been living in Łódź for years but she happens to visit her homeland several times a year.

Non-juvenile youths

For many years the Vilnius Region has been associated, especially in terms of culture, mostly with great amount of amateur folk bands. Recently, however, several bands playing various kinds of music have appeared, for instance, StaraNowa – pop-folk band, Will’N’Ska – punk band or Kite Art.

‘I am happy to have Polish press here in Vilnius Region, Polish radio and bands singing in Polish. During several past years quite a lot of music bands have come out on the Vilnius horizon and they are gathering more and more fans. I’m rooting for them and I’ll keep an eye on them and watch how they are doing, whether their youthful enthusiasm, energy and passion for what they do, often for free, is not faded – said Irena Kalitkiewicz, a young lawyer from Vilnius.

‘I think that ambitious, talented and pursuing their goals youths can realize themselves everywhere. When it comes to realization and perspectives I wouldn’t separate Lithuanian youths from the Polish ones in the Vilnius Region’ – said Irena.

According to Robert Bieńkuński, leader of Kite Art, the youths have a chance for development, however, there is still a lot to be done in the field of culture. Economic situation is definitely influential here because, as we know, ‘it is existence that determines consciousness’. Some initiatives sometimes come up in order to ‘tick things off’ rather than out of the willingness to do something valuable. ‘ The involvement of young people is varied. There are lots of people who are involved and create great things. Though they do it in such weird way that it feels like nothing had changed during the last 10 or 20 years. Perhaps those youths are kind of ‘non-juvenile’ or do things under duress’ –  R. Bieńkuński wonders.

It is very often, as the musician thinks, that Polish youths realize themselves in Lithuanian environment.

‘Obviously, if someone has huge ambitions and great talent they realize themselves not only in Vilnius Region but even Lithuania is too small and has too few opportunities’ – stressed Kite Art’s leader.

Lack of critical thinking

Katarzyna Kuckiewicz, project coordinator and translator, is convinced of Vilnius’s and its surroundings’ many opportunities for young people but these opportunities need to be found.

‘I don’t like the words opportunities, development, ambitions, career or chances to be repeated too often. I think that owing to this pursuit we lose the most important thing. (…) Therefore, I would reformulate the question – do the youths have the grounds to be happy in Lithuania? I think they do. It is maybe difficult way but the chances of achieving happiness are high – the crucial thing is to ask yourself what do I want in life rather than following the current lifestyle trends’ stressed K. Kuckiewicz talking to zw.lt.

Far more critical picture emerges from the words of Eliza Łozowska, leader of Lithuanian-Belgian band, Brain Rain. She watches the Vilnius situation from Brussels. ‘All of this is sad but it is a general thing in Lithuania that if you have cosmopolitan or alternative views, there’s a big chance you’ll be left alone. I don’t know what the present situation looks like but when I was a teenager, nobody taught us critical thinking or self-confidence in school’ – said to zw.lt Eliza Łozowska.

E. Łozowska is certain about the current educational system not to be suited for a young person’s needs and the press doesn’t make the situation any better.

‘The press is often perpetuating stereotypes hence young people develop on their own or among friends, if they have the chance of meeting similarly thinking people – said Łozowska.

Vilnius Region as an inspiration

What results from the talks, however, is that in spite of some flaws, the Vilnius Region can be inspiring. A new song of Will’N’Ska, ‘Multikultura’, about multicultural Vilnius, sung in three languages is the best example.

“I like the multiculturalism that is palpable everywhere in Vilnius Region. That was something I was missing when I lived abroad. Most countries has multiculturalism which is acquired while we have it in our blood. The variety of nature, beautiful towns with absolutely fascinating history, people who are still open-minded. Even the weather changes are quite tolerable. It seems to me that, in spite of the years that have passed, my love for Vilnius and its surroundings is still as fresh, innocent and a little naïve that I don’t notice things which I don’t like’ – said K. Kuckiewicz, who had lived in Warsaw for several years.

‘What I like about Vilnius Region? That people speak ‘Vilnius language’ here. I’m joking, of course, but like every joke it is also true in a way. Being poorly related to self-realization in Vilnius Region it is still something that makes me feel at home. I am close to this place, it’s my homeland’ – added I. Kalitkiewicz.

According to Eliza from Brain Rain the Vilnius Region is diverse. ‘I don’t like the statement that ‘wilniuk’(inhabitant of Vilnius of Polish nationality) who doesn’t support the official politics in Lithuania is regarded as bland Polish or a traitor. I like young Poles who claim that ‘wilniuk’ can be diverse, interesting, funny, creative, analytical, cosmopolitan, and respecting human rights’- stressed E. Łozowska.

The government is to support, not to threaten

All the interlocutors agree that the government should be involved in work with the youths. For very often lack of interest from the government’s side is a signal for emigration.

‘The crucial question – what does everybody need for self-realization? In which field does one want to develop and, the most important, how much does one want to earn. And that is often the issue that decides in favour of emigration’ – said I. Kalitkiewicz.

In her opinion ‘small foreign investments, slow development, critical economic situation, and mournful people often dishearten the youths.

‘I would like our government and public offices to support businessmen rather than threaten them with fines’ – added the lawyer.

Group ticket

‘When it comes to the general situation of youths in the Vilnius Region and their mass emigration, I can look at it through Ejszyszki and its surroundings. Level of unemployment is still extremely high there. During recent years there haven’t been any new investors or projects accomplished which would stop people from moving out. Earlier people used to leave for Vilnius and nowadays the Ejszyszki’s inhabitants are the citizens of the whole Europe. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so sad if it was not the mass phenomenon. People leave in search of work! Usually it’s a one-way ticket, what is more, a group one. Later on children take their parents to live with them’ – analyzes the situation B. Jundo-Kaliszewska.

K. Kuckiewicz, on the contrary, doesn’t see a big problem in emigration.

‘Emigration existed, exists now and will exist in future – people have always looked for their place on earth. I would like everybody to be happy in the place where he or she stays – whether in their homeland or foreign countries. I’ve decided that my place is here in the Vilnius Region. Vilnius feels like home to me and from here I have the quickest way to my own true happiness’ – concluded K. Kuckiewicz.

Source: http://zw.lt/wilno-wilenszczyzna/szanse-na-osiagniecie-szczescia-sa-wysokie-wilenszczyzna-mlodzi/

Tłumaczenie by Elżbieta Szafarz w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Elżbieta Szafarz within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.