Expedition “Mission Siberia”- a youth initiative to honor the memory of Lithuanian deportees
On February 10 the Embassy of Lithuania hosted a discussion with Aistė Eidukaitytė, the leader of the project „Mission Siberia”, and Marija Čyvaitė, a Lithuanian American, and a participant of „Mission Siberia’19.“ “Mission Siberia“ organizes expeditions to the places in Russia and Kazakhstan, where Lithuanians were deported or imprisoned during the time of Soviet occupation. Aistė and Marija shared their stories from the last year expedition to Kazakhstan.
Members of the expedition meet with the deportees or their descendants, clean and restore abandoned and neglected cemeteries, build Lithuanian crosses. Upon returning home the participants share their experiences at Lithuanian schools and with the public.
Youth initiative “Mission Siberia” started in 2006 and since then has become one of the most successful youth initiatives of all time. Since 2006 more than 130.000 young people applied to be part of an expedition, which every year consists of around 15-20 people.
Since the start of the project, 18 expeditions have been organized, more than 150 Lithuanian cemeteries have been restored. “Mission Siberia“ is recognized and supported by intellectuals, business, media, academic communities, and different political and civil organizations.
