As usual, the meeting was held at the Jewish organizations’ request and focused on the issues of importance to international community, such as the effectiveness of the UN activities, anti-Semitism and other forms of hate, Iran’s policy, and the Middle East peace process. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister welcomed sincere cooperation and invited the organizations to jointly fight against manifestations of radicalization all over the world.
According to the Foreign Minister, Lithuania successfully addresses the topical issues related to life and heritage of the Lithuanian Jewry that are important to the world and Lithuanian Jewish communities. The Law on Good Will Compensation for the Immovable Property of Jewish Religious Communities has been in effect for a period of five years already and the Law on Citizenship has been newly amended. Moreover, the Congress Centre project is being implemented with due respect to the old Jewish cemetery in Šnipiškės.
Representatives of the Jewish organizations assessed very positively events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the massacre of Lithuanian Jews, which were held in Lithuania this summer, as well as events to mark the National Memorial Day for the Genocide of Lithuanian Jews. Linkevičius also said that some issues of restitution for private property of Jews remained unresolved.
Jews settled in Lithuania in the 14th century. Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, became an important centre of Jewish cultural life in the 18th century. The city was once known as the Jerusalem of the North.
About 90% of Lithuania’s pre-war Jewish population of over 200,000 Jews were killed in the years of occupation by Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
