Lithuanian NGDO Platform VBP visit to JANIC office

On 18 September 2024, Lukas Ivanauskas, Board member of Vystomojo Bendradarbiavimo Platforma (VBP), Lithuanian National Non-Governmental Development Cooperation Organisations’ Platform, visited JANIC office and met with Megumi Mizusawa, Executive Director, and Aoi Horiuchi, Senior Advocacy Officer of JANIC.

VBP was established in 2007 and currently has 22 member organizations. It contributes to the intercultural, civic and democratic development of Lithuanian society by supporting and building the capacity of Lithuanian NGOs in their development cooperation activities. It is involved in the formulation and implementation of the EU-Lithuania Development Cooperation Policy, and carries out NGO networking, strengthening cross-border partnerships, monitoring and advocacy, sharing good practices and cross-sectoral activities. Both VBP and JANIC are members of CIVICUS, CPDE (CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness) and Forus.

During the meeting, it was mentioned that various initiatives on development cooperation are planned in the future following the Strategic Partnership signed by the Lithuanian and Japanese governments in 2022, and opinions were exchanged on cooperation between Lithuanian and Japanese NGOs. The meeting also introduced initiatives by NGOs from both sides on relief activities and reconstruction projects in Ukraine. In addition to activities in the field of ICT in Algeria, Kenya, Iraq, the NGO to which Ivanauskas belongs is also looking to implement projects in Asian countries in the future, and has high expectations for cooperation with civil society in Asia, including Japan.

Mizusawa and Horiuchi spoke about JANIC’s activities and organization, as well as the Asian Development Alliance (ADA), policy recommendations through Civil7/Civil20, exchanges within East Asian civil society and the publication of the THINK Lobby Journal.

We confirmed that we will continue to discuss future collaboration.