Objectifs

The Lithuanian Anthropological Association (LAA) was established to bring together anthropologists working in or on Lithuania, to support the development of anthropological research and education, and to promote the visibility of anthropology in Lithuanian society. Its objectives include fostering both academic and public anthropology, strengthening professional collaboration, supporting young researchers, and enhancing public awareness of anthropological knowledge. While the primary objectives of the Association are broader than safeguarding intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the safeguarding of ICH is closely aligned with its mission, particularly through public engagement, education, and research. The LAA contributes to ICH safeguarding by: - promoting public understanding of cultural practices, beliefs, and expressions, - collaborating with local communities and institutions in the documentation and transmission of traditional knowledge, - organizing public lectures, conferences, and media outreach to raise awareness of cultural heritage, - supporting ethically grounded anthropological fieldwork in the context of living heritage. Thus, safeguarding intangible cultural heritage is an integral part of the Association’s activities, embedded in its broader commitment to advancing anthropological knowledge and its relevance in society. The Lithuanian Anthropological Association is guided by the core ethical principles of anthropology, such as respect for cultural diversity, community participation, and long-term engagement. These principles are essential when co-working with communities that are bearers of intangible cultural heritage. Our members are committed to ethical research practices and collaborative relationships with local communities, aiming not only to document cultural expressions but also to support their continuity and intergenerational transmission. This ethical orientation reinforces our contribution to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, as it promotes dialogue, mutual respect, and shared ownership of cultural knowledge and practices – values that lie at the heart of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

Coopération

LAA has a strong commitment to collaborating with communities and individuals who practice, maintain, and transmit ICH. As an association rooted in public and engaged anthropology, LAA emphasizes community-based research, long-term cooperation, and mutual trust as foundational to its activities. LAA has developed vivid partnerships with the Center for Social Anthropology at Vytautas Magnus University and the NGO "Anthropos". Members of the association regularly engage with tradition bearers, mostly across Europe and Asia, through ethnographic research and joint projects. This cooperation is built not only on documentation and academic observation but also on dialogue, co-creation, and shared decision-making, especially in relation to heritage safeguarding strategies. In these processes, LAA members worked directly with local craftswomen, families, cultural organizations, and municipal institutions, facilitating spaces for practitioners to express their perspectives on heritage transmission, threats, and community needs. Particular emphasis was placed on identifying safeguarding measures in consultation with the communities themselves. In addition to these efforts, LAA has actively contributed to safeguarding the ICH of the Lithuanian Roma. Since 2022, LAA has collaborated with Roma organizations, NGOs, and state institutions, like the Lithuanian Roma Community and a multicultural day center for children and youth (NGO), which focus on the informal education of Roma children, as well as state and municipal institutions such as the Vilnius City Museum and the Department of National Minorities under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. These partnerships have led to the creation of significant cultural projects, such as the Lithuanian Romani Oral History and Language Archive (2022), Lithuanian Roma Culture Exhibition at the Vilnius Museum (2025), and the Archival Photography Archive/Album (2025). These initiatives reflect LAA's ongoing commitment to ensuring the voices of Roma practitioners are central to cultural preservation efforts. Working in collaboration with a variety of civil society organizations, LAA aims to deepen the understanding of people’s behavior, motivations, and systemic relationships within society, thereby contributing to more sustainable and socially responsible decisions across sectors. This long-term, respectful, and inclusive cooperation with different organizations reflects LAA’s ongoing commitment to participatory safeguarding and to empowering communities as key actors in maintaining their living heritage.