2015 European Year for development Goodwill Ambassadors: Rector of A.Stulginskis University Antanas Maziliauskas, Zigmas Kalesinskas a member of Councilfor the Protection of Ethnic Culture, manager of Alytus Europe Direct Information Centre Nijolė Vitienė, business man and self-government expert Justinas Rimas and doctor Alfredas Maruška. The ambassadors will participate in events for Development Cooperation throughout 2015 and share their best practices with rural communities and the general public.
Professor Antanas Maziliauskas, Rector of A.Stulginskis University
"I am rector of Aleksandras Stulginskis University Since 2011. In my early career i had worked as a teacher in Africa for three years. There where multinational students and different people who let me understand that the world is diverse with its troubles and worries but also with its traditions, interests and needs.
Africa inspired me and became my aim. Later, I worked as an expert of the World Bank in Nigeria, as a head of project evaluation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Mali, Yemen also as an expert of the group of FAO Special Food Supply Assessment program in Senegal, Mauritania, Ghana, Ecuador, Chile, Haiti, Bolivia. I visited specialists of Uganda, Côte d'Ivoire, Moldova, Kazakhstan and other central Asian countries and advised them on water and food supply subjects.
I am pleased that my experience has been useful for people of these countries and helped them not so much to seek support, as far as learn to provide it for themselves. Accepting the challenge to become the ambassador of European Year for development I believe that in Lithuania we are enough global and sensitive to understand and help people in other countries. I think that it is important to hear real stories for Lithuanian people that to understand why it is important..”.
Nijolė Vitienė, Alytus Europe Direct Information Centre Manager
"I was born in 1956 October 18 in Alytus. Graduated Pedagogical University of Vilnius in 1978, and in 2006 I got master's degree in higher education studies at the University of Liege (Belgium).
For many years I worked as a lecturer in Alytus College, and from 2012 till now I work as am manager of Alytus Europe Direct Information Centre. I like this work because it gives me opportunity to develop my organization, initiative, sociability, communication with a wider range of audiences skills. I think that no matter what is your duty at a work place, you have to know your work and to be fair, just and considerate to others.My credo: the most important thing is always and everywhere to help people and.. look for opportunities. "
ZigmasKalesinskas, member of Councilfor the Protection of Ethnic Culture
"I'm memer of Councilfor the Protection of Ethnic Culture of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania and a member of unit of the public organization Suvalkija (Sūduva). Born and raised in Sūduva (Suvalkija). I am related to this region not only with the innate relationship but also with social activities. I know culture, villages and small towns life, current and emerging problems and expectations of region Sūduva very well.
I am interested in dynamic structural, geo-political, and especially cultural developments in Lithuania, Europe and in all the world. Development cooperation as an opportunity to be a participant of this events, opens the door to more actively contribute to these activities, and within my jurisdiction, to participate in constructing new and different relationships. "
Justinas Rimas, businessman and expert
"I am a Doctor of Social Sciences, associate professor, businessman and self-governance expert. I am interested in development cooperation and I work to achieve that in 2000 adopted decision to improve quality of life in developing countries would be implemented. Together with my collaborators scientists I have written and published several monographs and educational books about local self-government development and their funding, tax policy and its application to practical aspects.Recently, I carry out experimental environment protection projects together with business, government and the community-based organizations, and actively participate in the development model of cooperation between local government and communities involving them to the direct decision-making. I have visited more than 40 countries around the world and familiar with the problems of developing countries: poverty, high children mortality and their low literacy, deficiency of drinking water, high morbidity, particularly malaria and tuberculosis. "
AlfredasMaruška, physician
"I am a physician for 37 years. The coming year will mark 30 years of my professional path turned toward non-drug, natural, organic folk medicine treatment methods. The selection was determined by interest in ecology, “green ideology”.Since 1988 I live in "Esperanto country." I have traveled a lot and have not visited just South America and Antarctica. There, paraphrasing the creator of Esperanto L. Zamenhof, communicates not black people with white people, not Jews with Arabs, not the Lithuanians and the Poles, not almond - eyed with westerners, but people with people.Travels were mostly related to studies, scientific conferences, educational and less frequently sightseeing purposes. I saw and understood the importance of friendship, cooperation and reciprocity help. This helps in building a better society and peaceful coexistence of it.Daily work with various social backgrounds patients from all over Lithuania and foreign countries helps to understand not only health but also real life problems.Many years I organize various vocational guidance’s for physicians. In addition I am providing training sessions for adults and children in rural and urban communities, refugees, schools and others. I have worked with prisoners. During the lectures people learn how to understand their body structure, physiology using knowledges of various nations traditional folk medicine and learn how to help yourself, friends and family when they have health problems.
The man who understands the complexity of its body lives healthier, evaluates itself, easier avoids intoxications and easier gets out of addiction. Being the Goodwill Ambassador of the year for development, I feel myself able to act locally and think globally.