Cultural Integration through Language and Arts was an interdisciplinary integration programme combining language learning and applied theatre methods to support Ukrainian refugees in Lithuania.
The project responded to a key integration challenge: language acquisition alone is not enough. Social confidence, emotional expression, and cultural belonging are equally essential for successful integration.
By combining Lithuanian language practice with Playback Theatre and creative facilitation, the project created a safe and dynamic environment for participants to learn, speak, and connect.
Objectives
- Support Ukrainian refugees in developing Lithuanian language skills
- Increase social confidence through arts-based learning
- Strengthen intercultural understanding between local and displaced communities
- Foster active participation in cultural and civic life
- Reduce isolation and improve psychological well-being
Activities
- Integrated language and theatre workshops
- Playback-based storytelling exercises in Lithuanian
- Creative dialogue sessions
- Community presentations and public sharing moments
- Collaboration between language educators and theatre facilitators
Participants practiced language not only through textbooks, but through embodied dialogue, improvisation, and real-life narrative exchange.
Methodology
The project was grounded in:
- Non-formal education principles
- Trauma-informed facilitation
- Arts-based language learning
- Experiential and participatory learning
- Community-building practices
The fusion of language and theatre accelerated both communication skills and social integration.
Impact
- Strengthened practical Lithuanian language skills among participants
- Increased confidence in public speaking and social participation
- Enhanced mutual understanding between Ukrainian and Lithuanian communities
- Developed a scalable model for arts-based integration
The project demonstrated that cultural integration becomes more effective when language learning is embedded in creative, relational, and emotionally safe contexts.
