Meet the new EVS volunteers who have just joined our team! Within a 10 month project “Promoting Human Rights Activism in Lithuania” under Erasmus+ programme two volunteers will carry out their voluntary service at LGL’s office.

 Alice

After an intense month of preparations, we finally touched the Lithuanian ground. Reading some information from some scaring guide-books, it looked like we were about to head the North Pole. But though the Lithuanian winter cannot for sure be considered as a warm one, my first impressions of this country are really good.

We had our first day at LGL on Monday. At the office, all the staff welcomed us with smiles and nice words. I found the office comfortable and I believe it will be very nice working here in the upcoming months. Yesterday, all the staff members introduced themselves and the projects they are working on. We had the chance to arrive in an interesting moment because the projects that will start this year are demanding but really stimulating. Among those we will have the opportunity to work on there is the one “Bleeding Love: Raising Awareness on Domestic and Dating Violence Against Lesbians and Transwomen in the European Union” and the one “Accomodating the needs of the victims of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes – raising the competences of law-enforcement institutions”. In addition, Adam and I will help collecting signatures for the petition for LGBT* Rights in Lithuania, and we will contribute to the development of the National Equality and Diversity Forum (NEDF) and the realization of the EuroPride 2015. It looks like that next months will be intense but we are ready and happy to take on this new challenge.

Indeed, I decided to do my EVS at LGL because I am a full supporter of LGBT* rights and I find unacceptable that nowadays the LGBT* community still has to face so much discrimination and inequality. For this reason, I think that playing an active role inside civil society is a fundamental duty if you want to raise awareness and promote tolerance and respect. I realized these objectives through my studies in political science and through some great internship experiences I had during the last years for no profit organizations operating in the field of civil and human rights in France and in the United States. I will graduate soon in “International and Diplomatic Studies“, a master program of the University of Bologna but at the moment I am ready and excited to start this new adventure at LGL.

What else can I add? The first impact of my EVS experience was awesome and now I am looking forward to start working at LGL and meeting the Vilnius LGBT* community!

Adam

Hey people, I’m Adam from Northern Ireland. I have a legal background having graduated with a Bachelors and Masters in Law (for more specific details see my profile here). I have long held a passion for equality and LGBT* rights advocacy. Therefore, the opportunity to work alongside LGL was certainly not something I could pass upon.

I landed here on January the 3rd.  Having endured the horror that is a “Ryanair” flight, I walked off the flight full of excitement (and thankful to be alive following the stampede getting on and off the plane). I was finally here, I was finally in Vilnius. Upon attaining my luggage, I hurriedly made my way to my apartment. Whilst the apartment’s architecture was slightly intimidating, my feelings of apprehension quickly vanished upon meeting the incredibly welcoming Gabija, an LGL staff member.

Monday quickly arrived and it was time to face the snow and make it to my first day in the office. Meeting the brilliant LGL team members was awesome. Everyone was incredibly friendly and genuinely interested in incorporating us into the fascinating projects they work upon.

Of course having read a lot about Vilnius there are certain misconceptions and myths told about the City and those who reside there. However, these misconceptions are totally blasted away upon arriving here and having a tour of the City with the delightful LGL volunteer Giedrė. I cannot wait to work alongside LGL going forward, meeting the Vilnius LGBT* community and residing in beautiful Vilnius.