For Local Impact of Global Experience

PRESENTED BY

Vytautas Jonas Juška from Australia

Trakai district

For devotion to Lithuanian culture through engaging story telling

After 50 years in Australia, in 2011 Vytautas Jonas Juška came to his homeland Lithuania. Still back there, he was promoting Baltic culture, led Lithuanian radio shows, published articles and held lectures for Lithuanian community and at international conferences.

In Lithuania, he is known and loved as a lecturer, English teacher, translator, expert on emigration and diaspora, and partner to many cultural projects and organisations. The most recent project “Lietuviais esame mes gimę!” is devoted to the year of global Lithuanians and has been touring the country all year long.

For Investments to Lithuania

PRESENTED BY

After successful career in the US, Marius moved from New York to Vilnius. He has been growing as an investor ever since. Marius was the first to establish an intellectual property law firm AAA Law. He chairs the board at AAA Holding, the company which brought to Lithuania the brands of Radisson and Grand Hotel Kempinski. Marius was among co-founders of Nordic Hotels Fund, which is dedicated to develop, purchase, and build hotels near the airports of Vilnius, Krakow, Riga, and other European cities.

In 2019, he established the Marius Jakulis Jason foundation  meant to provide financial support to talented entrepreneurs, academics, and students to enable them to contribute to the economic growth of Lithuania.

For Science Innovations to Lithuania

PRESENTED BY

USA, Lithuania

Professor Arminas Ragauskas is a researcher,  innovator, founder, and director of Health Telematics Science Institute at Kaunas technology university with more than 100 registered inventions worldwide. In 2016 he was nominated for European Innovation Award for his non-invasive intracranial pressure measurement device that attracted the interest of NASA.

This unique technology created in Lithuania allowed perform the non invasive analysis of the intracranial pressure of healthy people, astronauts, and neurological patients.

The technology is in active use by National Space Biomedical Research Institute of the US, where the effect of long term space travel to the human brain and sight is measured.

For Engagement of Global Lithuanians

PRESENTED BY

Mūsų metas DABAR

World

Mūsų Metas DABAR is a public initiative established under the the World Lithuanian Community by its Board Member Rimvydas Baltaduonis with intention to raise Lithuanian votes for 2019 Presidential Elections and the referendum for the citizenship retention. Its efforts have increased voter turnout 3 times – from 16000 in 2016 to 53000 in 2019. It has enabled the establishment of a separate voting district for Lithuanians abroad.

The initiative united the forces of Lithuanian World Youth Association, clubs of Lithuanian professionals abroad, and members of Global Lithuanian Leaders.

Rimvydas Baltaduonis as the driving force of the initiative built the team of global Lithuanians, engaged Lithuanian communities, business organisations, and professional clubs in the US and Europe for fundraising and active communication.  

For Lifetime Achievement

PRESENTED BY

USA 

Draugas“ is the oldest  Lithuanian newspaper celebrating this year 110 years of uninterrupted activity. It reflects the life and history of Lithuanians around the world and can be referred to the book of records of and daily source of friendly and positive news for Lithuanian diaspora. 

„Draugas“ strengthens global Lithuanian community, supports and communicates their cultural, spiritual and political activities. „Draugas News“ spreads Lithuanian news among the non-speaking generations of diaspora with intention to keep all Lithuania-related people together.  

Special Award

Eugenijus Arvydas Janulaitis

Lithuania

As a scientist, Arvydas Eugenijus Janulaitis  established the base for life science technologies in Lithuania and their implementation in  pharmacy industries.

As philanthropist, he has brought back to Lithuania a number of academic talents (GLA Laureates among them) and funded the means for their scientific research and global achievements.

This award is their gratitude for inspiration and mentorship!

For Promoting the Name of Lithuania Globally

PRESENTED BY
Mirga Grazinyte Tyla

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, Conductor

Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla is currently music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) in England. Recently, she was honoured as the best female conductor in the world.

In February 2019, Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla became the first female conductor ever to sign an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon (DG). The recording featured  M. Gražinytė-Tyla, violinist Gidon Kramer, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Kremerata Baltica. In 2017, Daniela Schmidt-Langels produced the documentary about the conductor.

Asmik Grigorian, Opera Singer

In spring of 2019 at the Gala Ceremony of  International Opera Awards in London, Asmik Grigorian was acknowledged as the Best Female Singer. After the premiere of the R.Strauss's Salome in 2018 at the prestigious Salzburg opera festival, she has become an opera sensation and has charmed the audience with her unique talent.

The daughter of prominent opera singers Irena Milkevičiūtė and Geham Grigorian performs on the celebrated world stages - La Scala in Milan, Metropolitan Opera in New York, Royal Opera House in London, Vienna Opera, The Opera Bastille in Paris, etc.

Asmik Grigorian
Sun and Sea Marina

For the first time in history, one of the most prestigious awards of modern art the Venice Biennale’s Golden Lion was awarded to the Lithuanian Pavillon.

The artists Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, Vaiva Grainytė and Lina Lapelytė created an opera-performance Sun&Sea (Marina) where the audience could watch a “singing” beach with the summer-loving people on the sand. With this performance, the authors invited to think about climate change and universal exhaustion. The relevant topic and innovative execution were immensely appreciated by both - the audience and the art critics.

Scientist Agnė Kajackaitė received the attention of global media after the presentation of her research named Battle for the thermostat: Gender and the effect of temperature on cognitive performance. The research of employee behaviour was executed together with colleague Tom Change and has shown that women are much more productive under higher room temperatures.

Agnė carries out her research in the field of behavioural economics. She has received her Ph.D. in Germany and has done part of her studies in California.

Currently, she leads the Research Group at Berlin Social Science Center. Most of her research is related to the psychological price of lying. In 2018, the Bank of Lithuania  awarded her and her co-authors Uri Gneezy and Joel Sobel with Vladas Jurgutis Award.

Agne Kajackaite
Ausra Kiudulaite
Evelina Daciute

Aušra Kiudulaitė and Evelina Daciūtė, Authors of "Laimė yra lapė"

In 2019, children book "Laimė yra lapė" by writer Evelina Daciūtė and illustrator Aušra Kiudulaitė was awarded The Batchelder award as an exceptional children non-English book published in the US but written by non-US authors. The award is founded by American Library Association.

In 2018, "Laimė yra lapė" was also included in the special list of International Board on Books for Young People and White Ravens Catalogue.

The book was published in Lithuania in 2016. It immediately became the Children Book of the Year at Vilnius Book Fair. It has been translated into 7 languages of the word.

Dr. Urtė Neniškytė, Scientist

In 2019, at the ceremony in Paris Urtė Neniškytė received the title of the Laureate of Women of Science and International Rising Talents. Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellow and experienced researcher at the Life Science Center of Vilnius University belongs to  top 15 most-promising women scientists of the world.   

Urte Neniskyte
Lineta Miseikyte

In 2019, with international acknowledgement of HBO mini series Chernobyl , global film-making community paid huge respect to local production team lead by Lineta Mišeikytė. Thanks to her professional skills and experience, the series was recognised for its exceptional authenticity and sensitivity to unique historic material.  Chernobyl received 6 Emmy Awards. The executive producer of the show Craig Mazin expressed his gratitude on the global stage of the Awards.

Recently, Chernobyl received 4 Golden Globe nominations including Best Limited Series.

Lineta Mišeikytė is a co-founder of  Baltic Film Services and, together with international partners, has filmed more than 30 international TV and film projects. She has worked with international teams of BBC, NBC, HBO, SkyTV.