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The Lithuanian Community in Australia Ethnic Lithuanians in Australia speak the standard High West dialect which was declared Lithuania's official language in 1918. Lithuanian is probably the oldest of all the modern Indo-European languages. Katzner's, The Languages of the World, claims Lithuanian is the closest speech that exists today to the language of the original Indo-Europeans. Many words bear remarkable similarities to Sanskrit. Arrival The substantive migration of Lithuanians to Australia came between 1947 and 1952 and most were Displaced Persons from Germany. About 11,000 people migrated during those years. But between then and 1990 migration numbers were minimal. However, the break-up of the Soviet Union resulted in an increase in arrivals. Settlement In Sydney, many Lithuanian migrants worked on the New South Wales State Railways. Lithuanians have also been prominent members of the arts community, particularly in sculpture and printmaking. Today first, second and third generation Australians of Lithuanian origin number around 17,000. Their communities around Australia boast a well-organised volunteer network devoted to social, welfare and cultural needs. Community Contacts Organisations serving the Lithuanian community in Australia: Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia PO Box 344 Curtin, ACT 2605 Phone:02 6282 5755 Fax: 02 6282 5734 Paul Jokubaitis Federal Executive of Lithuanian Communities in Australia President, Janina Vabolis 25 McLachlan Ave., Glenelg North South Australia 5045 Phone 61 8 8294 3792 Special Events Calendar SBS Radio's Lithuanian Program presents special coverage of these and other important events throughout the year. February 16 Independence Day Tuesday 17 April Community consultations in Sydney Conference Room 14 Herbert Street Artarmon at 5:30pm Thursday 19 April Community consultations in The Holroyd Centre Waratah Room, 17 Miller Street Merrylands at 5:30pm Thursday 26 April - Canberra Community consultations in The Hellenic Club, Apollo Room Cnr Matilda & Callam Street, Woden June 14 In Memoriam Day. In memory of the thousands of Lithuanians forcibly deported to Siberia July 6 Statehood Day Recommended Websites |
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