Association of Poles in Lithuania


The Association of Poles in Lithuania is an organization formed in 1989 to bring together members of Polish minority in Lithuania. It numbers between 6,000 to 11,000 members. It defends the civil rights of the Polish minority and engages in educational, cultural and economic activities. It is the largest Polish organization in Lithuania, and was created in 1990.
It organizes meetings of Polish minority, and publishes a magazine, Nasz Czas. The latter was created in 2001 through the merger of the former Association magazine, "Nasza Gazeta", Estonia's Polish minority magazine "Nasza Polonia" and the Latvian Polish minority magazine "Łatgalia". The publication is supported by Senate of Poland and The Foundation Aid to Poles in the East.
The Association is not engaged in political activities, leaving them to the Polish minority political party, the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania.