His Excellency Mr Vygaudas Usackas, Ambassador of Lithuania to the United Kingdom, visited Tunbridge Wells on Tuesday (19th February).

His Excellency Mr Vygaudas Usackas, Ambassador of Lithuania and Sheila Wheeler, Chief Executive of Tunbridge Wells
Borough Council

The Ambassador who was formerly the Lithuanian Ambasssor to EU and the United States of America, met with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council officials before giving a talk at St Johns Church Centre about ‘The experiences of past and present Lithuania: Living with Russia as a Neighbour’.

In the meeting with the Council Mr Usackas discussed the council's work on migration and European communities living with in the borough.

His Excellency said, 'I am keen to talk to the local council about the Lithuanians who are working and contributing to the local economy. I am looking for ways to establish more bridges of friendship between Tunbridge Wells and Lithuania.'

After the meeting with the council the Ambassador went on to give his talk at St Johns Church Centre.

When I asked the Ambassador before the talk about the invitation from the twinning Association he commented, 'I am grateful to the Twinning and Friendship Association for inviting me to come here to share the history of Lithuania, and our relationship with Russia.

In a packed hall the audience were treated to an entertaining and informative talk on the history of Lithuania, and its relationship with Russia. Part of the Ambassadors talk was about his expedition with a group of young Lithuanians in the summer of 2007 to search for the graves of the hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians deported to Siberia by Stalin. This part of the talk was particuarly moving.

The visit was organised by the Tunbridge Wells Twinning and Friendship Association and talking about the visit the Ambassador said, 'It is nice to be here, it is my first visit to Tunbridge Wells and I hope not the last.'