On April 29, 2025, for the first time in the country’s history, the Heritage Commission presented an official assessment of the state heritage protection during a plenary session of the Seimas (Parliament). Chair of the Heritage Commission, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vaidutė Ščiglienė, emphasized that today, Lithuania’s cultural heritage is disappearing faster than the state is able to identify, evaluate, or protect it.
“Heritage is a matter of our identity and national security. If it disappears, we will lose not only our history, but part of our strategic resilience to external threats,” she stated.
According to the Chair, it is also time to reflect on our historical responsibility. Just 35 years ago, the condition of many heritage sites in Lithuania was still relatively good. Yet in the decades of regained independence, many of these sites have been lost or severely degraded.
“How could we, in an independent country, allow so much to be lost?” she asked rhetorically.
The Heritage Commission presented a set of concrete proposals: it recommends establishing a Cultural Heritage Fund, ensuring appropriate attention to heritage within the national education system, developing a strategic framework for the protection of cultural heritage of significance to Lithuania abroad, among other key measures.
Heritage Commission is an expert and advisor to the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, President of the Republic of Lithuania and to Government of the Republic of Lithuania regarding the national policy of cultural heritage protection, its implementation, evaluation and improvement.