On October 22 of this year, a special atmosphere prevailed at Šiauliai Dainų Progymnasium – an inspiring gathering of young Samaritans took place here, uniting representatives of three educational institutions for a common goal. The event was attended shoulder to shoulder by the young Samaritans of Šiauliai Julius Janonis Gymnasium (head teacher Danutė Kratukienė), the young Samaritans of the Dainų Progymnasium community (head teacher Laisva Jankauskienė) and the young Samaritans of Romuva Progymnasium, who have been tutored for many years by teacher Violeta Dališanskienė, and today Saulė Raubickaitė helps to continue this beautiful tradition and bring together the young Samaritans.
We were very hospitablely received by the Dainų Progymnasium community, and this meaningful meeting was organized as part of the implementation of the Šiauliai City Municipality youth initiative project “Saugus 360”.
The meeting became not only a great opportunity to get to know each other better, but also a space for deep and meaningful discussions. The young Samaritans listened to lecturers’ reports on security in the digital space – an increasingly relevant topic every day, how to behave safely in the virtual world and recognize threats. Great attention was also paid to mentoring training for young leaders, with the aim of helping a young person become an educator and leader in their environment, able to resist various threats. Much attention was also paid to interpersonal relationships: students discussed how to create safe, friendly and non-violent relationships with their peers. During the discussions, young people openly shared their thoughts about the influence they have, talked about authorities, people who fascinate them, inspire them and encourage them to improve.
Later, the young Samaritans interacted with the guests, performed various common tasks, and the event was complemented by melodious songs, dances, and warm, sincere communication that warmed everyone’s hearts. The culmination of this day was a moment when each Samaritan once again remembered his oath, helping his neighbor, and his personal responsibility to the community.
Such meaningful meetings encourage us to trust each other, get to know our peers better, recognize threats, and remain safe and emotionally resilient. They remind us once again how important it is for a young person to discover their values and authorities, to seek meaning and self-identity through volunteering, and together to create a safer and brighter future for all of us. We sincerely thank all the organizers, lecturers, and participants for the great mood and time spent together!
Danutė Kratukienė, Chairwoman of the Šiauliai Branch of the Lithuanian Samaritan Society
