Irena Mateliene is the head of the Communication and Culture Department at Rokiškis District Municipality Administration, where she encourages the community’s cultural growth while implementing national cultural policy in the municipality. She is responsible for  the municipality's public communication, tourism, cultural services, international relations and transnational cooperation projects, preparing an advisory framework regarding state culture and tourism policy implementation at the local level. She was previously a lecturer for a cultural management studies program and a project manager at a primary school in Rokiskis City. 

2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Here We ASK

This project encouraged children to think about social problems and possible solutions to them. Over a six-week period, some 130 students ages 6 to 11 years old were engaged in discussions around critical social issues such as intolerance, violence, and xenophobia. After reading a story focused on those issues, students were encouraged to reflect on them, and to use specially developed materials to raise questions and propose possible solutions.

Read the stories here

"The project aims to leave a footprint in the new generation's memory and behavior to raise them as proud people willing to live in a democratic environment." - Irena Mateliene

2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: The Cute Newbies

This project helped foster discussion and reflection in the classroom between students with and without disabilities. Four theater artists, 3 counselors, 32 teachers and 490 students were engaged with the project in Rokiskis District, Lithuania. Four child-sized puppets played the roles of disabled children that attend ordinary lessons in the classroom, familiarizing students with the special needs of their peers. These lessons encouraged reflections and discussion in schools and in the students’ families. In a follow-up survey, 75% of respondent teachers said they were encouraged to revise their teaching methods for children with disabilities.

IVLP Exchange Experience

Irena participated in the IVLP Project Promoting Social Change through the Arts in 2021, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360 in partnership with Global Ties ABQ, Global Santa Fe, WorldOrlando and Global Minnesota. She also participated in the IVLP Project Promoting Social Change through the Arts in 2022, organized by the U.S. Department of State and the Mississippi Consortium for International Development in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Office of International Visitors program branch in New York City and Boulder Council for International Visitors.

Irena's exchange experience led to the development of her IVLP Impact Award Project: "A question is a tool of democracy and a spark for social change."

U.S. Communities Visited in 2022

Boulder, CO; Washington, DC; New York City, NY

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021

Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Albuquerque, NM; Santa Fe, NM

"The IVLP experience changed the way I understood the purpose of art. Before I thought of art as a final destination. In the USA, I noticed that art is a tool to reach consensus, manifest a point of view and fight for civil rights. The project made me think a lot and rethink the purpose of cultural activities in my town and country. Although we experienced a virtual trip, it was interesting to listen to stories about the habits of people living in the USA." - Irena Mateliene

Country of Origin: Lithuania

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