- What made you decide to join Students For Liberty?
I won’t lie, it took me a while to make the decision to join. I nearly met all of the ESFL staff in Lithuania over the course of a year. I was pretty much active in my local group of Vilnius liberal youth. That was a great start for me: I organized 5-6 events, projects, campaigns, and protests, and we constantly held meetings with members (once a week).
We built up a great team in a very short time. Many people dropped out of it in the beginning, and then new people joined – we walked through fire and rain. It was tough, but worth it. Back then, it was the best year of my life. And I wanted more. So I decided to join Students For Liberty after that year.
- What was your biggest accomplishment as a student leader with Students For Liberty?
Being a student leader with Students For Liberty has given me a sense of accomplishment. It is very important to value the input you have made through organized events, campaigns, articles, and everything else we do. Not only because it is a valuable experience, but it also has an impact on other people and we might not notice it initially. All of this makes the world move forward, therefore we have to value our own efforts, and SFL teaches us to be proud of ourselves through the supportive and empathic culture that they foster.
- What are some of the best tools and resources Students For Liberty gave you?
Some of the best tools and resources that Students For Liberty has given me are trainings and retreats. Or if you wish, great vibes with great people. How can that be a tool? I will tell you how: any kind of learning environment has to be friendly, and open to sharing ideas no matter how silly or bizarre they may be. They better be bizarre, as it’s a quality trait of a funny and friendly, yet crazy libertarian. This movement could not exist without that. It’s the core of lasting partnerships, friendships, and creative solutions that we share with society.
- What would you tell someone who’s considering getting involved?
I would tell them to just do it. That’s what I did myself. I still was not sure why I was doing it – I only knew it would be my next best decision. And I was right! I have not regretted it ever since. You will not either.
- What made you interested in the ideas of liberty?
I always wanted to make a change in my community and surroundings, while improving my livelihood for the better. In high school, I was the first chair of the Student Council that I along with other students had founded.
I was curious about the world. I remember looking on social media for information about youth organizations and I saw that liberal youth in Lithuania were actually very active: they ran many events, had lots of members, had articles published across major media outlets, and were politically active – I got jealous!
I wanted to be a part of a community of open minded, bright, and optimistic people who are driven by the idea of freedom, which, I think, is essential to making a change. That is how I got interested in ideas of liberty.
- What does liberty mean TO YOU?
Liberty means the whole world to me. It really does. Many nations were suppressed for decades under the idea of collective responsibility. Becoming free means to finally take responsibility: take care of what’s dear to you, and claim rights to it.
Liberty gives me wings, and actually lifts my spirits everytime I travel to Students For Liberty events, where I know I will have a great time, make new friends, and exchange ideas. It’s an invaluable experience which now is at hand’s reach.
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