insights, travel, creativity, photography Evelina Kvartunaite insights, travel, creativity, photography Evelina Kvartunaite

Standing (on the shoulders of) giants

I am so happy to finally feel that Lithuania has changed. The feeling we used to hold so close of the smaller and inferior country is feeling further and further away. We are proud of so many things - and we don't need to feel lesser for maybe some weirder aspects of that. Yes, its all ours and it's something that is important to remember - it's okay you find our pink soup a little strange or skyscrapers aren't tall enough. Finally we can be proud of the authenticity, of the unique quirkiness we hold. And it's okay. And it’s awesome!

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One question project: Olena Zhytnyk

One Question Project is there to illuminate amazing women and their experiences and to make them accessible to anyone. It’s created to inspire, and challenge us to take action, create new connections and rediscover things we maybe already know.
This time I ask one question to Olena Zhytnyk who is an amazing digital marketing professional, powerhouse woman and overall inspiration with an always positive attitude.

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thoughts, education, impressions, insights Evelina Kvartunaite thoughts, education, impressions, insights Evelina Kvartunaite

Present

Last week I have spent some time together with Nicholas evaluating the MyGen finals of the students at Amsterdam Fashion Institute. It was an experience both interesting, full of vulnerability and inspiration. It also gave me some ideas to speak more about the power of presenting and how you can really get a good glimpse into someone within 7 minutes of presentation and 8 minutes of asking them follow-up questions. So here are my takeaways from the experience that might help anyone with presenting or speaking in public…

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Ukraine, insights, thoughts Evelina Kvartunaite Ukraine, insights, thoughts Evelina Kvartunaite

walking each other home

Way back, what now feels like an eternity, maybe in March this year, a journalist asked me some questions. And one of those questions was “what do you think is the biggest obstacle when it comes to helping people fleeing the war in Ukraine?”. I remember not taking a pause to think. I remember it was so clear then and feels like premonition now. I said, “the biggest issue is perseverance”. I believed it so strongly then as see now how much fatigue people have when it comes to heavy imagery, unresolved issues, people suffering, survivors' guilt, guilt for having more than those unlucky ones or many other issues I hear from people as time goes by.

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one question, female empowerment, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite one question, female empowerment, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite

One question project: Veronica Sorace

One Question Project is there to illuminate amazing women and their experiences and to make them accessible to anyone. It’s created to inspire, and challenge us to take action, create new connections and rediscover things we maybe already know.
This time I speak to Veronica Sorace - an Italian ex-pat in Amsterdam, who is exploring the world through photography and helping people to add value to their homes and businesses.

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thoughts, insights, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite thoughts, insights, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite

Redefining Failure

Maybe nine years ago, I have placed this post-it note on a window in my room as a reminder for myself to be warry. It said “if you are the smarterst person in the room, you are in a wrong room”. And I really carried those words with me. I kept it as a reminder for growth and for constantly challenging myself. Not just for looking for new rooms, chellenging the “norm”, creating opportunities that feed my hunger to learn and explore….

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education, one question, female empowerment, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite education, one question, female empowerment, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite

One question project: Snezana Baclija Knoch

One Question Project is there to illuminate amazing women and their experience and to make it accessible to anyone. It’s created to inspire, challenge to take action, create new connections and rediscover things we maybe already know.

This time we dive in to speak about learning with an old friend with whom encounters cover probably most of Europe - Snezana Baclija Knoch.

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thoughts, education, travel, creativity, diversity & inclusion Evelina Kvartunaite thoughts, education, travel, creativity, diversity & inclusion Evelina Kvartunaite

Like folding air

Exactly a week ago I made my first balloon animal. A dog. A good one. For a first attempt anyways. It felt strange to be in a space so far away from my daily realities of holding space for stories of trauma, fear and running for safety. It was different. And yet so familiar. This space and those people - I have realized I have spent 23 years in youth work, lifelong learning and non formal education. Maybe scary. Maybe inspiring. Maybe a little bit like folding air…

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thoughts, Ukraine, insights, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite thoughts, Ukraine, insights, inspiration Evelina Kvartunaite

Finding words for the things we no longer need to say

I heard this sentence “we always find words for the things we no longer need to say” and it really grabbed me. I always question so I was really questioning it. Do we? What are things we no longer need to say? What’s the point? How much weight and importance do we put on the words? Into them? Around them? How much silence needs to linger around the words to make them feel or seem different? More or less important. More or less heavy. Words like love or pain? War? Freedom?

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one question, inspiration, female empowerment Evelina Kvartunaite one question, inspiration, female empowerment Evelina Kvartunaite

One Question Project: Clover Jean

One Question Project is there to illuminate amazing women and their experience and to make it accessible to anyone. It’s created to inspire, challenge to take action, create new connections and rediscover things we maybe already know.

This time we dive in to speak about fostering connections with Clover Jean.

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one question, inspiration, female empowerment Evelina Kvartunaite one question, inspiration, female empowerment Evelina Kvartunaite

One Question Project: Mira Vasic

One Question Project is there to illuminate amazing women and their experience and to make it accessible to anyone. It’s created to inspire, challenge to take action, create new connections and rediscover things we maybe already know.

This time we dive in to speak about self confidence with the amazing and inspirational Mira Vasic.

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Vita Vilimaite Lefebvre Delattre: Judėdami visada atrandame (we discover when we move)

Pokalbių serijoje apie lietuvius, išsibarsčiusius po platųjį pasaulį, šįkart kalbinu Vitą Vilimaitę Lefebvre Delattre - žurnalistę, rašytoją, kosmopolitę. Šiuo metu Vita gyvena Paryžiuje, Prancūziijoje.
[ENG]
In this series of conversations with Lithuanian women who have left their motherland for a variety of reasons, I am speaking to Vita Vilimaite Lefebvre Delattre who is a journalist, writer and citizen of the world, currently living in Paris, France.

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Ukraine, thoughts, impressions Evelina Kvartunaite Ukraine, thoughts, impressions Evelina Kvartunaite

I am still not a poem

Do I deserve to feel anything? To react? More and more I find myself pondering about that. In the beginning, it was just small glimpses, moments or even fractures of those moments. This week someone asked me how I was I responded that I find it super difficult to respond to that question ever since the war (in Ukraine) started…..

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thoughts, UA, creativity, Ukraine Evelina Kvartunaite thoughts, UA, creativity, Ukraine Evelina Kvartunaite

little things that matter

It’s been more than a month since Ukraine is under attack. It’s been more than a month of tears, loss, grief, anger but also connection, coming together, holding hands and hearts close to each other. I feel like there are so many things to be shared, to be said, to be heard and I think in the begining it was really obvious how lost for words I felt. Now I feel full of stories, full of love, full of ideas and full of visualizing the steps we need to take to keep on going further, going on.

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thoughts, impressions, Ukraine Evelina Kvartunaite thoughts, impressions, Ukraine Evelina Kvartunaite

things I didn’t know before (maybe)

I was born in the USSR. I had a great childhood. I felt loved. I felt treasured. I felt like my world was full of sunlight, magical moments delivered by my parents, grandparents and all the people in the community. I still remember a cake I had when I was 6 years old which had bunnies on it and green grass. I was so happy. So seen. I spent days doing crafts, making clothes. I spend days reading books. I read fairytales from the whole wide world, I read Shakespear, I read a lot to the point where I actually started volunteering at a local library because I loved organizing books so much. I also don’t only say this was my childhood without pain. There was fair share of that too….

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Ukraine, insights, thoughts Evelina Kvartunaite Ukraine, insights, thoughts Evelina Kvartunaite

so close

Let’s talk about reality, about things that touch our skin. That touch my skin. That land in the parts of the soul that haven’t been remembered for a long time.
How we dare to grow in pain, despite of pain, how we shiver through the light we call humanity. How we hold hands and expand through love…..

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Ukraine, thoughts, insights Evelina Kvartunaite Ukraine, thoughts, insights Evelina Kvartunaite

in-dependence

A few days ago we celebrated the restoration of the independence of Lithuania. I remember that day thirty-two years ago not super clearly. But I remember fear and uncertainty that was surrounding it for a good while. And the past few weeks I recognise this same uncertainty, anxiety and disbelief of what is going on…

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