Klaipėda University’s Center for Lithuanian Studies and Foreign Languages has been implementing the project “Lithuanian language course for people who have fled Ukraine due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine” since June 2024, during which more than 600 Ukrainians have learned Lithuanian! As the course was not only contact-based, but also distance-based, the Ukrainians learned Lithuanian not only from Klaipėda, Vilnius, or Kaunas, but also from the most remote parts of Lithuania – Akmenė, Rietavas, Skuodas, Mažeikiai, Širvintos, Ukmergė, Druskininkai, and other municipalities, where there is not a wide choice of Lithuanian language courses.
In addition to language courses at various levels (from A1 to C1) and a special lifelong learning program for seniors, counselling was also provided to school-age children coming from Ukraine to facilitate their integration into the Lithuanian education system.
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According to Dr. Kristina Blockytė-Naujokė, the Head of KU’s Center for Lithuanian Studies and Foreign Languages, who is in charge of the project, during the process the students tried to get to know our culture and our country better – by travelling, tasting, experiencing. “This project was born as a response to the lives destroyed by the war – it was dedicated to the refugees from Ukraine, who came to Lithuania in search of safety and a new start. So, our aim was to go beyond teaching the Lithuanian language. The course also became a social space, where people could feel welcomed, meet, chat, share experiences, or just leave it all behind for a while. Friendships were forged, a sense of community was strengthened, and the Lithuanian language became not only a tool, but also a bridge to a new stage of life. |
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Lithuanian language course was not only held in classrooms – we learned by travelling, listening to lectures on history and culture, to the tour guide stories. We travelled to Samogitia (Žemaitija), visited Vilnius, Kaunas, Trakai, Palanga, Curonian Spit. These trips were not only educational – they became a part of language practice giving the opportunity to speak Lithuanian in a natural environment. Towards the end of the project, another meaningful trip is waiting for us – to the ethnographic region of Lithuania Minor (Mažoji Lietuva), where we will observe bird banding in Ventė Cape (Ventės ragas), and a folklore program will be waiting for us in Dreverna,” said the project leader.
Many language learners have already successfully passed the Lithuanian language Category 1 or 2 exams. This gives them a better chance of successfully entering the labor market and becoming active members of society. At the end of the last lecture of the project, the students were full of praise for the project teachers.
“Before the course, I didn’t have much confidence in myself. I was afraid to be in public places, to talk to strangers, to ask them questions, to show initiative. It also limited my chances of finding a job. But all that is behind me now, because the course has given me not only knowledge, but also confidence in my future and in myself. The very friendly atmosphere helped to overcome the language barrier,” Yulia, who came from Ukraine to live and study in Lithuania, heaped praises on the course.
“First of all, I would like to thank our teachers for their work, for their knowledge, for the information they shared with us. For me personally, it was a very valuable learning experience and an opportunity to observe the work of my fellow teachers. So, thank you again. Secondly, I would like to thank the Republic of Lithuania for the opportunity to be here. I want to wish you peace. May you never have to experience war and all its manifestations and consequences. Ačiū! Danke! Thanks! Дякую! Grasias!”, another participant of the course was full of greetings and nice words.
Responding to the feedback from the students, the project leader K. Blockytė-Naujokė summarized the project results.
“Today, looking at the work we have done, I see that this project has become more than just a language course – it has become a space for communion, cultural dialogue, and mutual understanding. The Ukrainians want to continue learning, to reach a higher level of language proficiency, to understand Lithuania even better, and to establish themselves in our country. Therefore, our task is to find ways to support and help them on this path.”
The project “Lithuanian language course for people who have fled Ukraine due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine” is implemented by the European Social Fund Agency in cooperation with Klaipeda University and six other Lithuanian higher education institutions.
The project is funded by the Bilateral Cooperation Fund of the European Economic Area and Norway Grants 2014-2021.
This project is another important step in strengthening solidarity and support for Ukrainians seeking to build their future in Lithuania.
