It is predicted that by 2020 the Lithuanian population will shrink to 2,6 million. However, where many see a problem, we see an opportunity. We are inspired by a vision of a global Lithuanian community that transcends borders and maintains its people connected through networks and engaged through inspiring examples of sustainable heritage and evolving culture.
We began our journey to the West Coast USA on the 28th of September, seeking to capture wonderful ways of fostering Lithuanian identity abroad. Our first few days have been very productive – we’ve met lots of inspiring people, participated at the annual Lithuanian Fair known as “LT Days”, had a chance to tour the famed “Warner Bros” studios, created a new anthem for our project, and even connected with newly found relatives …more
A week before ‘ToBeLt’ project departure to the West Coast USA, we had organised a fun going away party. During the event, we hosted a discussion amid prominent Lithuanian public figures. We asked them a question ‘What is cool about Lithuania?’ and what that meant to each of them …more
Project “ToBeLT” has grown into a big community movement. What started as a project seeking to celebrate Lithuanian roots, has grown into a movement that is redefining how we speak about our national identity in the global context and empowering anyone who feels a connection to Lithuania. As our mission grows, we seek to visit several Lithuanian communities around the world, beginning a new dialogue about more inclusive national identity, celebrating Lithuanian heritage and documenting what it means “To Be Lithuanian” around the world …more
Our identity tells us who we are, and living identity is the only one that really counts. You can preserve it in archives, dictionaries and museums, but that will only tell you who you’ve been. The way you live your identity will define who you are and who you will be. While investigating what it means ToBeLT to the Lithuanians, who inhabit the NE US, we accidentally came up with a song on the streets of Baltimore with the musicians from Ave Vita. It sums up the need to engage in your heritage and make it a part of your life.
This documentary is a story about lovers who overcame the impossible only to realise that they had grown apart. Its about the people who left Lithuania physically, though not in spirit; people who successfully lived Lithuania outside Lithuania during the soviet occupation, but now struggle to make sense of their undwindling passion. Jurgis Didžiulis delves into the Lithuanian communities of the NorthEast US, communities he was once part of, and explores what drives them, what afflicts them, and what potential they still harbour. “To Be LT” is a candid exploration that relies on music, storytelling, and humor to provide a glimpse of the past, present, and potential future of a love that still burns unusually strong.
ToBeLT team visited Lithuanian diaspora communities in North East America in 2016. Jurgis Didziulis was talking to Lithuanians about national identity, and listening to their stories about finding a place for heritage in their life, and passing on the torch to the young.