On 24 March, 2017 Language Teachers’ Association of Lithuania (LKPA) organized the traditional annual event “The Baltic Philologist Coffret” award ceremony to award the members of the association for the most prominent contribution and activities, for fostering and ensuring the continuity of the Baltic culture, promoting multilingualism and multiculturalism in the year of 2016.

Every year in March the Baltic Philologist Coffret is given to meritorious members of the association or organizations in accordance with certain pre-specified criteria. The Baltic philologist is a professional, ethical, and enterprising educator. The Baltic Philologist Coffret is attributed to an educator (or an organization) who is fostering and ensuring the continuity of the Baltic culture.

The award itself is a medium-sized wooden coffret with special decoration motifs that reflect the diversity of peoples and languages, prominent personalities and their works. With the account of the year of nomination, eminent writers and linguists born that year are recollected and their names and the most significant works are inscribed on the sides of the locker.

In 2016, the following writers were chosen: J. Grušas (115 year anniversary) and  M. Proust (145 year anniversary).

The Baltic Philologist Coffret with an inscription of M. Proust was awarded to one of the selected candidates, vice-president of LKPA Irena Navickienė, Head of the Language Teaching centre of the Professional Competence Development Institute at Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences who has been one of the most active members of LKPA and who contributed a lot to the organization of conferences, seminars and other important events and activities for language teachers. The other coffret with an inscription of J. Grušas was awarded to Jūratė Matulionienė, the former lecturer of the English language of the Institute of Foreign Languages of Vytautas Magnus University who has left to the UK Boston and started a Language School there to teach Lithuanian immigrants’ children English and Lithuanian languages and to promote the Lithuanian language and culture among the Lithuanian diaspora in the UK.

The former president of LKPA and the current honorary president of the Association Eglė Šeinotienė was awarded with letters of gratitude issued by the Seimas of the Lithuanian Republic and FILPV NBR President for her successful leadership of LKPA since its foundation in 2006.

The event took place at the premises of Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania, Conference Hall.

H.E. Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia Mr. Einars Semanis, as well as representatives of the Embassy of France as well as the Ministry of Education and Science, members of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania were among other important guests as well as members of LKPA who attended the event.

The award ceremony was followed by a concert of Vilnius University folklore music and dance ensemble “Ratilio” and an introductory excursion at the newly renovated Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania.