OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Republic of Lithuania hold Roundtable
On the 25 March 2024, the office of the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) and the Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania organized an expert roundtable titled “Recommendations on the Effective Participation of National Minorities in Social and Economic Life.”
At the roundtable, decision-makers, experts, and representatives of civil society and minority communities discussed “practical implications and good practices from Estonia, Lithuania and the United States to promote the effective participation of national minorities in social and economic life.”
The director of the HCNM Marek Szczygieł addressed the participants stating “Economic inclusion is not just about creating opportunities; it's about building unity, breaking down divisions in society, and ensuring equal participation in the economic life of our nations.”
Director of the Department of National Minorities of the Republic of Lithuania, Dr. Vida Montvydaitė said, “It is important to underline that in Lithuania, with a shortage of skilled workers, every highly qualified immigrant who works in unskilled jobs because of unrecognized education, qualifications, language or social issues is an inexcusable loss for our country.”
Notable experts on the panel included U.S. State Department Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice Desiree Cormier-Smith and US Environmental Protection Agency Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator Theresa Segovia.
For more information, visit the website of the OSCE.
