On November 5, 2025, the Kaunas Branch of the Society for the Study of Lithuanians Worldwide, the Vytautas Magnus University Lithuanian Emigration Institute, and the Valdas Adamkus Presidential Library-Museum invited the public to a lecture by historian Dr. Egidijus Balandis titled “From Entertainment to National Representation: The Social and Cultural Functions of Sports in DP Camps, 1945–1950.”
A researcher at the Lithuanian Emigration Institute and historian, Dr. Egidijus Balandis studies the history of the Lithuanian diaspora, explores the development of civil society, and continually uncovers new aspects of Lithuania’s social and cultural sports history.
In the lives of migrant and displaced persons’ communities, sports are rarely just a form of entertainment—they often serve as an important tool helping communities pursue various goals. Lithuanians who gathered in DP (Displaced Persons) camps in Germany after World War II were no exception. The lecture discussed how sports contributed to developing social skills within the Lithuanian DP community, the international connections it enabled, and how it was used for purposes of national representation.
