Date of birth

16 July 1957

Place of birth

Kaunas, Lithuania

Education

1982–1986

Postgraduate studies, Department of Lithuanian Literature, Faculty of Philology, Vilnius State University (currently Vilnius University)

1975–1981

Diploma cum laude in Lithuanian Philology and Literature, Faculty of Philology, Vilnius State University

1968–1975

Secondary School No 4 in Kaunas (currently Stepono Dariaus ir Stasio Girėno gimnazija (upper secondary school))

1964–1968

Secondary School No 1 in Kaunas (currently Aušros gimnazija (upper secondary school))

Work experience

2000–2004

Director, Vilna Gaon Museum of Jewish History

1989–1990

Director, Lithuanian State Jewish Museum

1988–1989

Head, Judaica Department, Book Chamber of Lithuania

1986–1988

Lecturer, Evening Faculty in Kaunas, Vilnius State University

1979–1981

Research Fellow, Kaunas Historical Museum (currently Vytautas Magnus War Museum)

Political career

Member of the Council, Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats

2016–2020

Member of the 12th Seimas

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Member, Committee on European Affairs (2017–2019)

Chair, Subcommittee on Transatlantic Relations and Democratic Development (2019–2020), Committee on Foreign Affairs

Member, Commission for the Cause of Freedom and the National Historical Memory (2018–2020)

Member, Commission for the National Historical Memory (2017–2018)

2012–2016

Member of the 11th Seimas

Deputy Chair, Committee on European Affairs

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Deputy Head, Seimas Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

2011–2012

Vice-President, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Since 2010

Chair, Parliamentary Forum for Democracy

2008–2012

Member of the 10th Seimas

Chair, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Member, Committee on European Affairs

Head, Seimas Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Deputy Head, Seimas Delegation to the Assembly of Members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Sejm and Senate of the Republic of Poland, and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

2004–2008

Member of the 9th Seimas

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Chair, Subcommittee on the European Neighbourhood Policy

Deputy Head, Deputy Member, Seimas Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

1998

Vice-Chairperson, Committee on Culture and Education, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

1996–2000

Member of the 7th Seimas

Chair, Committee on Human Rights

Chair, Committee on Human and Citizen’s Rights and Nationalities

Member, Commission for NATO Affairs

Member, Seimas Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

1992–1996

Member of the 6th Seimas

Member, Seimas Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

1990–1992

Member, Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas

Signatory to the Act of Independence of Lithuania

Chair, Foreign Affairs Commission

Member, National Delegation for the Negotiations with the USSR

1989–1990

Member, Council of the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjūdis

Miscellaneous

Chair, International Commission for the Evaluation of the Crimes of the Nazi and Soviet Occupation Regimes in Lithuania (since 1998); Founder, Member of the Board of Trustees, Boris Nemtsov Foundation for Freedom

Awards: Cross of Commander of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas and the Medal of Independence of Lithuania (2000); Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz; 2000); 3rd Class Order of Merit of Ukraine for personal service to the development of friendly relations between Lithuania and Ukraine (2007); Officer’s Cross of Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (2009); award for outstanding support for the Belarusian democratic opposition following the presidential election in Belarus on 19 December 2010; Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom (2010); gold medal of Petras Vileišis for merits in restoring the independent state of Lithuania and contribution to achieving its international recognition, as well as strengthening Lithuania’s position in the EU and NATO and moderate and tolerant approach to national minorities in Lithuania (2011); Establishing Volunteers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Medal for contribution to establishing and strengthening the defence of the Republic of Lithuania (2011); Medal for Merits to Vilnius and the Nation for contribution to Lithuanian diplomacy (2012); Decoration of Honour of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania – Lithuanian Diplomacy Star (2012); Sign of Honour for Merits of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2012); Commemorative Badge for personal contribution to the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (2013).

Publications: research papers on Lithuanian and Jewish heritage, articles on Lithuanian cultural heritage and links in literature

Hobbies: music, literature, cinema

Languages: Lithuanian, Yiddish, English, Russian, Polish, German

Family

Married with two children