2015 was declared as a Year for European Development. This is a great opportunity to discuss development cooperation, publicize success stories and critically sum-up implementation of ten years long Lithuanian development cooperation policy. Eastern Europe Studies Centre and National platform of non-governmental development cooperation organizations, cooperating with the most popular Lithuanian media, organised thematic meetings about development, prepared journeys for journalists to Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine and gave a chance for Lithuanian media representatives to deepen their knowledge in a special trainings.

Together with Head of OECD Assistance for Development Committee, Erik Solheim, who visited Lithuania in May, we discussed about Lithuania‘s membership in OECD, especially awaiting opportunities and challenges in a field of development cooperation. It is discussed in an article “Lithuania wants to join „Club of Rich“: what does that mean?” Another discussion, where thoughts had been shared by academics, NGO‘s experts and journalists, was dedicated to discuss Eastern Partnership summit, it‘s results and discuss about the role of development cooperation policy in a context of Eastern Partnership. In autumn, media representatives discussed about climate change, migration and other relevant topics.

In September media representatives participated in trainings, led by Martin Atkin, former BBC journalist, communication chief of Greenpeace, in Fair trade movement, where links between poverty in developing countries and Lithuania‘s issues were discussed. Also, main development policy actors and other ideas were introduced.

Project “2015 European Year for Development: role of media” is being funded by resources of European Union and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Republic of Lithuania’s Development cooperation and support for democracy programme. Main objective of the project is to pursue greater involvement of media representatives and bigger attention for Lithuanian and European Union development cooperation issues, their reflection on the media and social networks.