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Lithuania Steps into Open World

February 23, 2004

Open World Program Brings Lithuanian Leaders to the United States

23 Feb 2004 – Vilnius, Lithuania – Fifty Lithuanian political, civic, and economic leaders will travel to the United States on February 26, 2004, as the first participants in the new Lithuania Open World Program.  Their visit marks the expansion of the Open World Program into the Baltic States.  

Media representatives are invited to participate in the public Open World event on Wednesday, 25 February 2004, at the Reval Hotel Lietuva, Konstitucijos pr. 20, Vilnius (please call 370 5 2660330 or e-mail to register):

Event schedule:

15:30 – 15:35 Welcome to the Open World Program, Introduction of staff

15:35 – 15:55 Goals of the Open World Program

15:55 – 16:05 Remarks by US Ambassador to Lithuania Stephen Mull

16:05 – 16:40 Introduction of all delegates and facilitators by groups

16:40– 17:10 Coffee Break

The U.S. Congress established Open World in 1999 to enable emerging foreign political and civic leaders to meet their U.S. counterparts and see firsthand how American civil society works.  In 2003, Congress authorized expanding Open World in 14 eligible countries.  Lithuania, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan were selected by the Open World Leadership Center Board of Trustees for the first pilot exchanges under the expanded Open World Program.  

The inaugural Lithuanian Open World delegation includes mayors and other municipal officials, newspaper editors, non-government organizations (NGO) representatives, and business leaders.  

After a one-day orientation in Washington, DC, they will travel in small, interest-based groups to communities in Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon and Vermont for weeklong professional programs.  Each group’s program will focus on a specific professional theme, such as “local government,” “business development,” “NGO development” and “mass media.”

Local programs include meetings with state legislators, mayors, and corporate executives; briefings at the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times; and roundtables at chambers of commerce, NGOs, and small business associations.  All delegates will stay with host families, which will introduce them to American family and community life.

For more background on Open World, please visit http://www.openworld.gov