December 11, 2017 in Vilnius the Board meeting of the public entity „The Foundation for Disposal of Good Will Compensation for the Immovable Property of Jewish Religious Communities“ (hereinafter – GWF) took place.
The emergence of the GWF it is an important event not only for the Lithuanian Jews, but also for the state of Lithuania as a first successful try to compensate the losses experienced during the Holocaust by the Jewish citizens of Lithuania. In accordance with the Law on Good Will Compensation, the compensation constitutes of around 37 million euro and is to be transferred from the Lithuanian state budget until 2023. The compensation is to be used for funding projects which deal with religious, cultural, health care, sports, educational and scientific goals pursued by Lithuanian Jews in Lithuania. Each year the government of Lithuanian republic allocates 3,6 million euros to the purposes indicated in the GWF Law. The GWF has expanded since it‘s establishment and became an organization, which seeks, that the funds allocated to Lithuanian Jews would be used meaningfully and appropriately.
Since the year 2014 GWF started to allocate the financing the implementation of projects, that meets the goals foreseen in the Law of the Good Will Compensation. Every year around the half of the sum received from government of Lithuanian Republic, around 1,6 million GWF allocates to projects. Other part of the sum, around 1,8 million euros, is set to serve as a long-term endowment. The Chairpersons of the board of the GWF – rabbi Andrew Baker and Faina Kukliansky secures the qualitative work of the Foundation, this is proven by National Audit Office audit report of the year 2016.
During the Board meeting on 11th of December, 2017 the annual compensation for the year 2017 was distributed in accordance with the project applications received. The allocation of GWF funds for projects is implemented in accordance with established criteria. In addition to that, GWF Board approved the administrative budget, approved changes of the GWF Board and GVF administrative Committee members. Also, the question of the creation of GWF Investment Committee was discussed.
GWF works in accordance with Lithuanian Republic legislation and international performance audit findings and recommendations, in order to ensure the appropriate procedures of acceptance, evaluation and approval of project applications. In addition to that – the governance of GWF, that will help to achieve the goal of GWF to become the best example of the organization giving the financing for project implementation.
Information about the GWF finansation for the projects for 2018 will be announced before December 22, 2017. That is why GWF recommends to follow the information on GWF website and GWF Facebook page.
In pictures: The moments of the GWF Board reception in Vilnius:
Photographer Marius Morkevičius