BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 1. Acting Minister of Culture Šarūnas Birutis will conclude his term with an important working visit to Berlin from September 1–3, where he will meet with Germany’s Minister of State for Culture and Media, Wolfram Weimer, Trend reports.
The visit crowns months of preparation that began in June and is expected to lay the foundation for a Lithuanian–German cultural exchange program to be rolled out in 2027–2028.
During his stay, Birutis will visit the Jewish Museum Berlin and meet its director, Hetty Berg. The visit coincides with Lithuania’s commemoration of the centenary of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research.
The delegation will also attend a concert at the Berlin Philharmonie conducted by Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla, symbolically reflecting future Lithuanian–German cultural exchange. Germany’s Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Dr. Konrad Schmidt-Werhern, is also expected to attend the concert.
The visit follows Lithuania’s government-approved strategic guidelines for relations with Germany, which emphasize Berlin’s growing role as a key pillar of Lithuanian security in Europe’s new security architecture.
Strengthening ties between the two societies through culture, fostering closer cultural conditions, and increasing resilience against disinformation and historical distortion are identified as key priorities.
Julija Reklaitė, director of the Lithuanian Institute of Culture, is accompanying Birutis on the visit.