For the fourth summer in a row, students from the Design Department at the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Kaunas Faculty, are launching their seasonal initiative under the slogan ‘We Care’. This initiative provides an opportunity for students, having completed their semester coursework, to focus on pressing social issues, fostering civic engagement and social awareness.
In 2022, in collaboration with the public institution For a Clean Lithuania and activist Giedrius Bučas, we organised creative workshops entitled ‘A Step Towards a Cleaner Lithuania’, aimed at changing public behaviour through creativity and the power of visual communication. In 2023, partnering with the Open Lithuania Foundation (www.olf.lt), we developed communication tools for the Ukrainian community centre ‘Ukreate’, focusing on mutual support and cooperation between Lithuania and Ukraine. In 2024, together with the State Tax Inspectorate (VMI), we designed visual materials aimed at long-term corruption prevention, with the goal of building public and employee trust.
This year, once again partnering with our long-time social collaborator, the Open Lithuania Foundation, we are organising creative workshops to develop a concept for a space called the ‘Democracy Courtyard’. This unique, open, multifunctional and accessible environment is designed for communities – an inclusive urban space for educational and cultural activities that foster community spirit and innovative learning for children and adults on topics such as history, democracy, human rights, civil society and intercultural dialogue.
The Democracy Courtyard is a popular destination for both tourists and student groups. Educational programmes and events are hosted there by the Open Lithuania Foundation as well as other non-governmental organisations.
The Democracy Courtyard embodies historical memory, democracy, civic engagement and intercultural dialogue.