The Goals of the Institute:
- strengthening civil society in Lithuania, as well as an active contribution to the implementation and reinforcement of democratic and civic values;
- providing Lithuanian society with objective and reliable information regarding issues in public policy;
- affirming and defending the idea and principles of civil society in the political and public life;
- encouraging citizens' active and conscious participation in public activity, as well as the exercise of their civic liberties and rights.
The Tasks of the Institute:
- to observe, analyse, and predict the trends in the development of civil society in Lithuania;
- to identify and to oppose the factors and forces which have a negative influence on civil society;
- to implement standards and procedures of political culture based on respect to civil society;
- to initiate discussions concerning Lithuania's strategic priorities and landmarks of public policy;
- to reinforce the positions of critical, well-reasoned, and analytical discourse in the public life of Lithuania;
- to promote civic consciousness, civic activity, and communal association.
Principal Directions of the Institute's Activities:
Promoting civic initiatives and reinforcing civic attitudes in society:
- seeking to achieve a working partnership between academics, politicians, entrepreneurs, mass-media, non-governmental organisations, local communities, and various interest-groups;
- influencing legislative issues and political decision-making, formulating policy proposals based on the monitoring of legislation as well as on the analysis of public policy;
- accumulating the experience and know-how for the expansion of civil society.
Analysing public policy:
- observing, analysing, and studying public policy and political culture in Lithuania;
- evaluating opportunities for European integration and presenting them to the public;
- evaluating examples of best practice in Europe and the world and analysing their suitability to Lithuanian conditions;
- performing comparative studies of post-Communist countries;
- analysing the challenges that globalisation presents to civil society.
Defending the idea of civil society in public discourse:
- publicly expressing opinion concerning pressing issues in the development of civil society in Lithuania;
- assisting various interest-groups in their defence of the idea of civil society;
- initiating public discussions and debates;
- implementing educational projects and contributing to the creation of a system of continued civic education.
