“Lithuania says: Welcome!”: an action of solidarity with refugees was held in Vilnius
Residents of Vilnius gathered for a rally of solidarity with refugees. under the slogan “Lithuania says: Welcome!”
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About it reports the news portal DELFI.
Those gathered made paper boats - symbols of hope and the refugees' struggle for survival. Those interested filled out questionnaires in which they could indicate how they could help refugees: donate things, clothes, money, find employment, organize leisure time, teach a craft, etc.
A representative of the organizers, Vilma Vaitekunaite, told reporters that people treat refugees differently - there are those who support, and there are those who are hostile.
“The fact that we have gathered today, that we have a group of volunteers, is excellent proof that people care about this, they want to participate, they are not hostile,” Vaitiekunaite said.
More than 200 volunteers have already offered various types of assistance to refugees. About a tenth offers housing space. According to Vaitekunaite, this is an excellent result for such a small country.
According to the organizers, there are caring people all over Lithuania, not only in Vilnius. One resident of Panevezys agrees to shelter a family of refugees in the attic of his house. They won't even have to pay for utilities.
“He is ready to accept if there are people who want to come and integrate in Panevezys. I am from Plunge, my father also said that if necessary, he can settle refugees in a private house. Only, of course, in Plunge it is difficult with work and social activities, but the environment is safe,” one of the organizers of the action, Gintāre Gedrimaitė, told DELFI.
A group of politicians also came to express support for the refugees, including Social Democrats Giedre Purvanackienė, Margarita Jankauskaite, Algirdas Sisas, Gintautas Paluckas, and liberal Algis Čaplikas.
It should be noted that actions in support of refugees took place all over the world these days.
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