On 5 September 2012, a group of patrons from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington DC, led by the museum director Sara J. Bloomfield visited the Tolerance Centre at the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. On the occasion of the visit of the benefactors mission organised by the American Embassy to Lithuania, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, Andrius Kubilius, Minister for Culture, Arūnas Gelūnas, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Seimas, Emanuelis Zingeris, and other high officials arrived at the centre. Some of the patrons of the USHMM have personal links with Lithuania as their parents or grandparents came from these parts. Director of the VGSJM, J. Markas Zingeris, Minister for Culture A. Gelūnas and US Ambassador to Lithuania Ann E. Derse spoke at the gathering. The guests heard the prime minister’s address and could ask questions about the issues that interested them as well as thank him for the programme that is being implemented solving the issues concerning the Lithuanian Jewish heritage. Andrius Kubilius stressed that Lithuania was proud of the Litvak’s cultural heritage that is an inseparable part of Lithuanian culture. The meeting at the Tolerance Centre was also attended by representatives of the Lithuanian Jews’ Community and  state officials. The patron’s group from the JAV United States Holocaust Memorial Museum visited the travelling exhibition organised by the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum “Should I Forget...” about the fate of the Jews of  Butrimonys.   

For more information go to: http://www.balsas.lt/m/naujiena/618195

Moments from the event

Moments from the event

Moments from the event

Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Seimas, Emanuelis Zingeris

Minister for Culture, Arūnas Gelūnas

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, Andrius Kubilius

Prime Minister greets US Ambassador to Lithuania Ann E. Derse