Vytautas Magnus University

Baltic-American Freedom Foundation Interactive Exhibition

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In 2010 BAFF was established and authorized by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to fund educational exchange programs collectively known as BAFF Scholarships. With an endowment from The Baltic-American Enterprise Fund (BalAEF) that would exceed $35 million after returning $25 million to the U.S. Treasury, BAFF has thus far disbursed more than $12 million in Scholarships to over 500 participants. The Scholarships provided by BAFF are intended to be a gift from the American people to the citizens of the Baltic states, to further build and strengthen the friendship and goodwill existing between Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United States.

In June 2022, the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation (BAFF) celebrated its 10th anniversary and created an exhibition-stand about BAFF alumni. This exhibition is interactive – it works with the Overly app, which should be downloaded to the phone. With the Overly app, you can scan the faces at the stand and short video reports about these people will be presented to you on your phone. This exhibition travels through the universities of the Baltic countries. First, it was exhibited at VilniusTech University, later it travelled around Latvia and Estonia. In February 2023 we present it in Kaunas, Vytautas Magnus University, V. Putvinskio str. 23, ground floor. On this occasion, we want to introduce the community of Vytautas Magnus University to BAFF’s areas of activity, programs, internship offers and opportunities to gain experience in the USA.

Continuing a longstanding American commitment to the Baltic region, the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation (BAFF) mission is to deepen the ties between and among Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United States through programs of education and exchange centering on economic growth and democratic values. Current Baltic-American Freedom Foundation scholarship opportunities include:

  • The Professional Internship Program for university students and recent graduates (Fall Internships Application Deadline is March 31 – all application materials must be received by the application deadline.).
  • The Research Scholarship Program for professors and others in academia (Fall Start Application Deadline is March 31 – all application materials must be received by the application deadline.).
  • The Baltic-American Dialogue for educational institutions, government entities, business groups, and Baltic experts (Next Application Deadline is September 15).
  • The Baltic-American Security Exchange (BASE) for Baltic and U.S. security experts (Application Deadline April 1 – please allow a minimum of three months’ lead time from application deadline to the project start date.).
  • The Leadership Academy for university students (Application Opens February 1, Application Deadline March 17).

Individuals and organizations seeking funding are invited to apply to the appropriate Baltic-American Freedom Foundation program. Please contact BAFF for more information.