Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania (MMNL) together with the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research (YIVO) are proud to announce the first recipient of the inaugural Award for Advancing Lithuanian–Jewish Relations and Understanding. The award was presented at a special ceremony on 17 October.
This first-ever award honours Antanas Ulpis (1904–1981), former Director of the Lithuanian National Book Chamber (1946–1980), who received the distinction posthumously for his extraordinary courage and moral vision during the Soviet period. At great personal risk, Ulpis saved thousands of Jewish books and archival materials slated for destruction by Soviet authorities, safeguarding priceless records of Jewish scholarship, culture, and daily life. His selfless actions ensured the survival of a cultural legacy that continues to educate generations around the world.
“We are confident that this Award will encourage both domestic and international researchers to shed new light on Lithuanian and global Jewish history. The Award will also strengthen the collaboration between the National Library and the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, which has always aimed to showcase Lithuanian Jewish documentary heritage to the world,” said Aušrinė Žilinskienė, Director General of the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania. She added, “I am particularly pleased that the documents preserved by Antanas Ulpis have finally become part of the National Library’s collection. This is a remarkable gift that enriches our institution and our national memory.”
The ceremony is part of a series of events marking YIVO’s centennial year. Founded in 1925 in Vilnius, Lithuania, YIVO stands as a world leader in preserving and illuminating the history and culture of Eastern European Jewry. Since 2015 YIVO has partnered with the MMNL on the internationally acclaimed YIVO Edward Blank Vilna Online Collection Project and other initiatives dedicated to preserving and perpetuating the history, culture, and heritage of Eastern European and Lithuanian Jewry.
The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is dedicated to the preservation and study of the history and culture of East European Jewry worldwide. For nearly a century, YIVO has pioneered new forms of Jewish scholarship, research, education, and cultural expression. The YIVO Archives contains 24 million unique items and YIVO’s Library has over 400,000 volumes—the single largest resource for the study of East European Jewish life in the world.
MMNL, holding a significant part of the YIVO document archive that remained in Vilnius, has two departments dedicated to promoting Jewish heritage and uniting the Jewish community in Lithuania – Judaica Research Center and Vilnius Jewish Public Library. Judaica Research Center is preserving and researching the Judaica Collection of the MMNL and creating international awareness of it through series of publication and academic, cultural, and educational activities.