LRT of the Year Award Winners Announced

“In this difficult pandemic situation, the mission of LRT, as a public broadcaster, is not only to be close to you and provide you with the most important information, but also to remind us how inspiring and good we had this year, what kind of future Lithuania are building everyone.

It was not easy for the voting commission to select the only ones because all the works were exceptional. This year saw the emergence of many civic initiatives that brought us together and united us for a common goal. We also have many brilliant personalities who inspire us and organizations that have shown great leadership, ”said Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, CEO of LRT.

The LRT of the Year Awards working group, which this year consisted of journalists from different fields, looked at the important events and personalities that grew the most in Lithuania throughout the year and highlighted 3 nominees in each nomination. Who became the LRT of the year award winners were determined by votes from the commission and LRT.lt visitors (50 and 50 percent).

Meet the winners of the 2020 LRT Awards:

Personality of the year – the person we learn from, the personality that inspired us to grow.

The winner is Gintarė Masteikaitė

Gintarė Masteikaitė, Head of the Lithuanian Dance Information Center, is nominated for leadership in difficult times of culture, mobilization of the non-governmental cultural sector, moderation of dignified dialogue with the state and active attention of non-governmental performing arts organizations during the coronavirus pandemic and the popularization of Lithuania. and other work meetings.

Ambassador of the year – a person, team or organization that has made the name of Lithuania the most famous in the world.

Winner – The Roop

Lithuanian Eurovision winners, The Roop, who missed the opportunity to get on the main stage of the competition due to the pandemic, but became the winners of Eurovision hearts, triumphed in various fan and blog competitions and were recognized as favorites by music experts from different countries. The group was nominated for the award for awakening the dream of “Eurovision”, that their song and dance spread throughout the world, glorifying the name of Lithuania.

Business Leadership of the Year – a commercial representative, company or organization that has set an example for others.

Winner – Thermo Fisher Scientific

Lithuanian biotech company Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics was one of the first to combat the new coronavirus disease COVID-19 and already in March began manufacturing and supplying components for testing for infections. These tests are supplied to Lithuanian laboratories and exported all over the world. The Vilnius division of the company also produces reagents that are used to develop and manufacture new types of vaccines against the virus, long awaited by everyone.

Discovery of the year – a person, a science, technology or innovation team, surprised by an unexpected idea or discovery.

The winner is Arvydas Laurinavičius with the team

The works of Arvydas Laurinavičius, professor, physician and director of the State Pathology Center of the Santara Clinic Branch of Vilnius University and his colleagues, open up new opportunities for both patients and physicians. Laurinavičius and his team were nominated for the award for developing a method of digital pathology that helps more accurately predict the course of cancer. The method, which uses artificial intelligence, makes it possible to evaluate the invisible signs of the disease in the human eye and surpasses the clinical and pathological criteria currently used. To develop this method, Professor Arvydas Laurinavičius brought together specialists from different fields: pathologists, PhD students, bioinformatics, geneticists, data scientists, specialists in image analysis. His publications are widely cited in the world.

Cultural phenomenon of the year – a cultural personality, collective or organization whose work has become a phenomenon this year.

The winner is Arūnas Gelūnas

The abandoned Radvila Palace, which had been in the center of Vilnius for many years, began to revive when Arūnas Gelūnas became the director of the National Museum of Art of Lithuania. He is nominated for the award for the wise process of resurrecting the palace and opening the collection donated by Vladimir Tarasov to the public. The Lithuanian National Art Museum plans to adapt the entire currently abandoned historical complex to the museum’s activities. Arūnas Gelūnas awaits a complete regeneration of the palace and says it will take several more years. Gelūnas himself was the curator of the first exhibition of the renovated Radvilių Palace Museum of Art “The Art of Protest: The Disobedient of the Soviet Era” from Vladimir Tarasov’s collection. Most of the works will become a permanent museum exhibit.

Citizen Initiative of the Year – a person, team or organization whose idea has brought us together and united for a common goal

Winner: the “Path to Freedom” initiative

The initiative “Path of Freedom” was nominated for the award due to the fact that about 50 thousand. connected people from all over Lithuania in a living chain from Vilnius to the Medininkai border firewall. In this way, they expressed their support for Belarusians who are fighting for democratic change. At the same time, people shook hands in other cities and towns in Lithuania and the initiative received support abroad. The idea of ​​the “Path to Freedom” to Belarus, born in social networks, was implemented by Andrius Tapinas, founder of “Freedom TV”, with his team and partners. The campaign was organized in 9 days.

The future of the year – a young person, team or organization, with their talent, determination and achievements who are already creating the Lithuania of the future today

The winner is Artūras Markevič

Teacher Artūras Markevičius came to the school through the “I choose to teach!” Program, and during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic, in a very short time together with other school specialists, he prepared unique sets of distance education lessons. He was also nominated for the award for contributing to the Vilnius Silo School for his long-term counseling for institutions that educate children with special educational needs. Artūras Markevičius was chosen as the winner of this year’s Love Lukšienė award.

Those who have not had time to watch the LRT of the year awards on television will be able to find the recording of the solemn ceremony in the LRT Media Library.