News

Former US Ambassador to Lithuania and ExCEL Program of the American Councils founder Anne E. Derse shares the latest exciting news about ExCEL accomplishments and future plans in her letter to Jurate Kazickas.

Alexandra Altman, the eldest of Dr. Joseph and Alexandra Kazickas grandchildren, combines lessons passed down by her grandparents with her own life experience and turns it into a career as a social worker and her philanthropy choice as well. Alexandra's choice - "Together We Rise" is a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the way youth navigate through the foster care system in America.

KFF is a proud sponsor of Euro Integration Games for the Disabled Youth. It started in 1991 as an initiative of Regensburg, Germany. Every other year youth gather in different country. This year Vilnius, Lithuania is hosting games June 28 - July 1st. Vilnius ,,Atgajos" special school is organizing the event.

Victoria Kazickas' passion for science and medicine combined with her wish to help and care led her not just down the path to become a specialist in medical field (Victoria is studying to become a physician's assistant), but also inspired her to always search for the ones she can help.

Alex, Augie and Peter, three Dr. Joseph and Alexandra Kazickas' grandsons, found the way to realize their grandparents vision. “Back in 1999, when Kazickas Family Foundation was founded in order to give to Lithuania, they wanted us, their grandchildren, to get involved, but we were too young, “ says Peter. Today, three of them continue making their grandparents proud by starting the “Basketball Power.” 

"Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library - Museum was opened in Kaunas. Among those who helped to convert the idea into a reality was the foundation of the Kazickas family who builds relationships between Lithuania and its diaspora..." - says Lithuanian news portal Delfi.

Dr. Violeta Davoliūtė, the Joseph P. Kazickas Fellow 2015-2016 at Yale, presented her research "The Culture of Collaboration: Lithuanian Intellectuals under German Occupation (1941-1944)" in Luce Hall, Yale University, New Haven on 4/26/2016.

United Nations, New York, 4/7/2016, Conference “Ending Human Trafficking by 2030: The Role of Global Partnerships in Eradicating Modern Slavery” 

Today, according to the United Nations, modern slavery is an illegal global organized crime that generates $150 billion a year in illegal profits. Currently, between 21 and 36 million people are held in human slavery.

Philanthropy is nothing new to Annalina Kazickas, one of six Dr. Joseph and Alexandra Kazickas' granddaughters. Few years ago Annalina spent some time with Hoops4Hope program in Zimbabwe and even introduced her younger brother Peter to it. South Africa and its people have been a huge part of her life but Annalina's passion for nature, helping others and her creative mind lead her to the Urban Farm/Garden in Vilnius.

This is a perfect example of Global Lithuania: one of the greatest educational achievements of a collaboration between the Lithuanians in the diaspora and in Lithuania!!!