1. “Adopt Your Heritage”
Project Newsletter
Issued: September 2010
Project financed by the European Commission
www.adyourhe.com
Increasing awareness and encouraging active participation in understanding different cultures.
4th Project Meeting – Vilnius, 17-20 September 2010
The fourth meeting of ADHER project - Adopt Your
Heritage was held in Vilnius, capital city of Lithuania,
and was attended by participants coming from Turkey,
Romania, Greece, Slovenia.
Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Lithuanian
Partner of this Learning Partnership project funded by
the Grundvig Programme, organized this event at the
Vilnius University campus known since 1579, an
interesting historical place, where the participants of
meeting were not only working but also had opportunity
to explore the University courtyards, to visit the Church
of Sts. John, the historical University campus halls, one
of the oldest academic Libraries in Europe.
On the agenda of the first day there were discussions
Vilnius University
about results already achieved by Partners and the list
of cultural heritages with problem analysis at local
level in each Partner’s country that are supposed
to be used in the project. Preliminary studies on
“ADOPT YOUR HERITAGE” booklet materials
were fulfilled and target audience defined: it was
decided that booklet should be dedicated to
general public, interested in cultural heritage, not
only to the specific audience of teachers and
trainers, because wider dissemination of project
ideas and involvement of different people from
various layers of society, correspond with ADHER
Moment of meeting
objectives. Partners expressed ideas about
promotion measures to increase involvement of civil society in the project. Presentation by Jūratė Bučmytė
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of
the information contained therein

2. (Lithuania) showed how the unique cultural heritage of Curonian Spit is used and promoted in real life:
producing specific signs, T-shirts, family weathervanes, also in virtual space - using the social networking
services.
The meeting programme prepared by Lithuanian Partner was based on the key points of Lithuanian
cultural heritage adopted in ADHER project aiming to reveal all the aspects of these issues. Because
Vilnius historic centre in 1994 to
UNESCO World heritage list was
inscribed as having outstanding
universal value, the afternoon
programme of the meeting started
with the excursion to Vilnius
University and its famous Library –
unique architectural complex that is
an integral part of the historical
centre of Vilnius. The Library was
founded in 1570 and was based on
the collections of Sigismund II, King
of Poland and Grand Duke of
Lithuania, and of Georgius Albinius, Vilnius Old Town
suffragan to the Bishop of Vilnius. At
the present time there are 5.4 million publications in safekeeping at the Library, the manuscript department
holds more than 226,000 documents in a variety of languages, there is also a collection of art works and a
Museum with a selection of graphic works of Lithuania's history, as well as medals and Orders. The Library
is situated at the same place from the very beginning and has 27 000 of users. The Library was visited by
a lot of famous people: spiritual leaders, presidents, kings, princes, representatives of authorities from
various countries. Urban tour that followed the
excursion to the University and its Library was
dedicated to the Old Town of Vilnius that
preserved gothic, renaissance, baroque, classical
styles features. Old Town is a harmonious
architectural unit that is the witness of unique way
of living tradition based on multiculturalism. Vilnius
since the old times was famous for its tolerance:
here settled and successfully coexisted
inhabitants of various confessions and
nationalities.
Folk group performance At the end of the first meeting day the participants
were invited to share national traditions, to listen to the Lithuanian folk group and to discuss informally
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of
the information contained therein

3. cultural and historical factors which created specific Vilnius values and made this city the World Heritage
Site. Participants exchanged views on what to be done to preserve more effectively cultural and natural
heritages on national level and to involve more people from different layers of society in such activity.
On the second day of the meeting participants visited the historical capital of Lithuania – Trakai – small
“town of lakes”, situated about 25 km south from Vilnius. Trakai is famous by the medieval Castle that
occupies one island of Lake Galvė – the only insular
castle throughout Eastern Europe. It was built as a
defensive fortress, later served as a ducal residence
and even as a prison. Castle of Trakai has undergone
renovations and now it is a museum where Lithuania’s
most interesting archeological artifacts, coins and other
finds from excavation grounds are preserved. Trakai,
old capital of Lithuania, is also known as an
administrative and spiritual centre of Karaim
community. Six hundred years Karaims and Tatars
have been living in Lithuania and consider it as a
Castle of Trakai
homeland. Since 14th century when Great Duke of
Lithuania Vytautas brought them from Crimea, the history of Karaims in Lithuania began. It was connected
then with the state policy: to inhabit empty territories of Great Duchy for development of trade and cities.
It was very good example of tolerance and cooperation of different nations living on the same land, having
various traditions and professing different religions. Participants with one accord agreed that such
example of multicultural living tradition is worth to make it widely known as an effective pattern of better
understanding and tolerance towards other cultures.
The participants had good opportunity to become acquainted with Karaim cuisine as a part of cultural
heritage: Lithuanian Partner invited all the party to one of Trakai restaurants where national dishes of
Karaim minority were served.
After the return from Trakai, participants had free
time for discovering new cultural aspects of Vilnius
Old Town themselves: Lithuanian Partner
organized this meeting synchronizing its activities
with „Festival of Gediminas”, annual autumn feast
with three-day programme of cultural and
entertainment events. It is an example of reviving
of the old tradition that remounts to the days of
Grand Duke Gediminas’ rule, dedicated to
Moment of Festival: Fire sculpture
celebrate autumn equinox and glorify Vilnius. This
festival also represents multicultural tradition that is
still fostered: many folk, dance, theatrical groups from Poland, Russia, Italy, Belarus and other countries
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of
the information contained therein

4. are invited annually to take part in a programme. Old Town was full of live: a lot of performances were held
in narrow streets and squares. “Mystery of Fire” was one of those events visited by the participants of
Vilnius meeting on Sunday evening.
The programme of ADHER meeting in Vilnius was closed at the Lithuanian cuisine restaurant “Forto
dvaras”, where participants were offered traditional food.
ADHER meeting in Vilnius contributed to the project revealing new aspects of cultural interaction and
long-term experience in creation of multicultural traditions. A lot of information about national cultural
heritages was presented by Lithuanian Partner, for this purpose inviting the assistance of professional
guides and artists.
One of the reasons for organizing such projects is the collaboration and common understanding which
partners are supposed to create during the project. The fourth meeting of ADHER showed the cohesion of
the Partners in achieving of project goals and mutual understanding of the importance of this task.
Common interactive work on project issues will be renewed at the next ADHER meeting in Slovenia.
Decorative motif
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of
the information contained therein