The event was attended by Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius, Director of the European Film Forum Scanorama Gražina Arlickaitė, the Norwegian Film Institute’s representative Jan Erik Holst, and Ambassador of Norway to Lithuania Leif Arne Ulland, diplomats from the Nordic and Baltic countries, representatives of the film industry, cultural institutions.

When speaking about the scope of and perspectives for the Nordic and Baltic cooperation, Ignatavičius stressed the aim to link the Nordic and Baltic countries together not just through infrastructure projects, but also by creating a single culture and information space.

“The more joint initiatives we will launch in the social, educational and cultural spheres, the better future we will create for the region that will become increasingly more important as a model for the whole of Europe,” the Vice-Minister said.

During the event, the Foreign Ministry’s award of honour – Lithuanian Diplomacy Star – was conferred on the Norwegian Film Institute’s representative Jan Erik Holst for contributing to the development of the Nordic and Baltic cultural cooperation.

This year Lithuania co-ordinates the agenda of the Nordic Baltic Eight (NB8) and this allows us intensify the dialogue with our Nordic partners in various spheres. This event also aims to draw greater attention to the cultural cooperation with the Nordic countries.