Ordinary people
changed history.
YOU still can.
In a world shaped by authoritarianism and violent conflict, it’s easy to wonder:
What difference can one person make?
The Baltic Revolution offers a powerful answer.
Between 1987 and 1991, millions of people in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia challenged Soviet rule through songs, cultural preservation, peaceful protest, and democratic action. Together, they transformed their nations and accelerated the collapse of one of the most powerful empires in history.
This is not just a story about the past.
It is a lens for understanding our world today, our place within it, and the possibilities we create for the future.
Hope exists.
Connect
Find inspiration in the stories of the Lithuanian independence movement from someone who lived through it and witnessed the collapse of an empire.
Daiva provides:
- Keynotes
- Workshops
- Class lectures
- Direct conversations
Learn
Free resources on the Lithuanian Revolution and its historical context for educators and students.
Explore:
- Historical timelines
- Archival footage
- Historical & Political charts
- Films and Documentaries
- Glossary
I didn’t just study this history.
I lived it.
As the American-born daughter of Lithuanian World War II refugees, I grew up between two worlds, shaped by a history that had been cut off by Soviet occupation.
In 1989, I traveled to Lithuania to reconnect with my ancestral identity. Instead, I found myself witnessing a resistance movement as the Soviet system began to fracture. Something in me shifted.
I realized the fate of my identity
was tied to Lithuania’s fate.
By 1990, I was coordinating diaspora activism and press relations in support of Lithuanian independence across the United States.
In 1991, I returned to Lithuania days after Soviet forces killed civilians during the January events. I worked inside the Parliament as a press spokesperson, editor, and translator as the defining moments in the country’s fight for freedom unfolded.
I was awarded the Lithuanian State Honor, Commemorative Medal of January 13, for my contributions during this historic struggle.
Today, I speak, research, and serve as a primary resource for those seeking to understand the Lithuanian independence movement and the collapse of Soviet power. I bring this extraordinary story to life for audiences seeking to understand how political change happens and the role each of us plays in shaping it.
Latest from the blog
The Dalai Lama’s 1991 Visit to Lithuania
His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama made his fourth visit to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia during the summer of 2018. The Baltic nations have long held a special meaning to the Tibetan leader, which you can see exemplified in the picture below when the Dalai Lama met with Lithuanian leader Vytautas Landsbergis in Vilnius during his recent visit. The story of the Dalai Lama's close relationship with Lithuania began in 1991, with his first visit to Lithuania, during September 29 - October 2....