Lithuanian government approves Culture Pass for preschoolers and Lithuanian schools abroad

Lithuania's government is proposing to expand the Culture Pass program, a state-funded initiative designed to foster cultural awareness and experiences, to include preschoolers and students attending Lithuanian schools abroad. The initiative aims to broaden access to cultural services for younger generations.

However, the expansion comes with a caveat: students in countries subject to international sanctions will be excluded from using the Culture Pass. The government noted that participation would be objectively impossible in such regions.

A proposal to extend the Culture Pass to seniors was rejected by the government. Officials cited the absence of a clear definition for 'senior' in existing laws and stated that other measures are already in place to enhance seniors' access to cultural services, such as the Social Prescription initiative and non-formal adult education programs.

The government also opposed linking Culture Pass funding to municipal social and economic indicators, arguing it would contradict the constitutional principle of equality and create unequal opportunities. Instead, funds for the program and its administration will be allocated from the state budget. The specific amount allocated per participant will be calculated proportionally based on the total budget and the number of participants. New provisions are set to be gradually implemented, with full effect from January 1, 2028.