7th January 2016
In a gala ceremony on 28 th of April 2015 night, National awards were handed out to individuals, organizations and initiatives that contributed most to promoting equality and diversity in Lithuania. The Award Ceremony was held for the second time in Lithuania. This annual event was organized by the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson and a forum of seven NGOs for the second time to recognize achievements in eight categories.
The purpose of National Equality and Diversity Awards is to recognize individuals, organizations, community groups, non-profit organizations, and business establishments as well as legal, academic and corporate community that have demonstrated outstanding achievements and sustained commitment to the pursuit of diversity, equality and inclusion in the society. The awards were launched to recognize and commend organizations and individuals for their support to diversity and inclusion irrespective to differences that may arise due to individual’s race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, social status, age, disability, religion, political views or other features.
The individuals, organizations, initiatives, projects, ideas and actions that have most contributed to the promotion of equality and diversity in 2014 were recognized according to the following nine categories:
Award for Gender Equality
MARGARITA JANKAUSKAITĖ for respecting diversity, encouraging social dialogues, and preventing discrimination, violence against women, homophobia, xenophobia and racism.
“Gender equality is the topic that gives rise to most discussion in our society, but at the same time it is the most naturalized and least appreciated problem. There is not a single member of our society who did not have to pay for this inequality, because if violence against women costs us EUR 1.5m each year, not to mention ruined lives of entire generations, even those individuals who benefit from patriarchal privilege have to pay,” Ms. Jankauskaitė said in her acceptance speech.
Margarita Jankauskaite. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Golden Age Award
MEDARDAS ČOBOTAS THIRD AGE UNIVERSITY for active inclusion of seniors into programs for lifelong learning, spiritual and mental development, and the continuation of dignified, active lifestyles.
Zita Žebrauskienė. Rector of Medardas Čobatas Third Age University. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Rainbow Appreciation Award
TELEVISION NETWORK ‘INFO TV’. The award was given for the socially responsible decision to air the „Change It“ video clip which was created by the national LGBT* rights organization LGL to promote the recognition of societal diversity and the Lithuanian LGBT* community.
Representative of Info TV. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Ethno Dialogue Award
MUSICAL GROUP „BIPLAN“ for promoting mutual understanding and goodwill amongst various nationalities in Lithuania.
Musical Group BIPLAN. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Overcoming Obstacles Award
ŠARŪNAS GRIGALIŪNAS for the social network “Disabled Enabled”. http://disabledenabled.eu/
Šarūnas Grigaliūnas and Dovilė Juodkaitė, president of “Lithuanian Forum of Disabled”. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Religious Diversity Award
MILDA ALIŠAUSKIENĖ for active work in recognition of religious minorities, promoting knowledge to overcome phobias of new religious movements, building trust and respect for healthy civil society.
Milda Ališauskienė. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Breakthrough of the Year Award
HUMAN RIGHTS PORTAL “MANO TEISĖS.LT”. The award was given for meaningful work promoting human rights and empowering non-governmental organizations and representatives of vulnerable social groups to initiate public discourses about human rights.
Accepting the award, Birutė Sabatauskaitė, director of the Lithuanian Human Rights Centre, said that the portal was a work product of many people and organizations. “This award goes to almost every other person in this ceremony who wrote articles for the portal on behalf of their organizations. Many people who produced its content are not even here tonight, they are our volunteers as well as people who shared their writing,” Ms. Sabatauskaitė said.
Team of Lithuanian Human Rights Centre. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Journalist of the Year Award
SANDRA VILMAITĖ. The award was given for articles on equality, tolerance, human rights and social issues.
Ms. Vilimaitė, who works for the online news outlet balsas.tv3.lt, said the topics she covered were of great relevance to everyone. “I actually write about human rights out of self-interest, because I want to live in a better society,” she said.
Sandra Vilimaitė. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
Lifetime Achievement Award
AUŠRINĖ BURNEIKIENĖ (1961 – 2013). The country’s first equal opportunities ombudsperson, received a posthumous award for lifetime achievements.
Edita Žiobiene, Children’s Rights Ombudsperson, Acting Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson. A. Didžgalvis pfotography
The laureates received glass statues created by artist Viktoras Dailidėnas. At the centre of each statue was an imprint of a palm, symbolizing humanity, unity and the uniqueness of every individual. Attended by nearly 200 participants, the award ceremony created the possibility and platform for people working in the field of non-discrimination or representing different segment of diverse society to see and discuss each other’s work.
