Klaipėda Vitė community, which symbolizes the beginning of “Civinity” history, is a special example of sustainability and progressive activities

Klaipėda Vitė community, which symbolizes the beginning of “Civinity” history, is a special example of sustainability and progressive activities

On 27 May, the Vitė community in Klaipėda will organise a celebration to mark the European Neighbour’s Day for the second time. The event, which promotes friendship between local residents and institutions, is one of the many results of the community’s activities. In seven years, Klaipėda’s active and committed citizens have made a significant contribution to the implementation of important projects in the city, and the extraordinary unity they have fostered is becoming an inspiring example for others.

The start of “Civinity” journey.

The Vitė community has a special significance for the Civinity group of companies – it was here that the company started its operations in 2005 when its CEO “Deividas Jacka” acquired UAB “Vitės valdos”, which is today known as “Civinity Namai Klaipėda”.

“Our company has grown considerably over almost two decades, and we are very happy that more and more Lithuanian citizens trust our team. But no matter how far we go, I myself will never forget where it all began – in the port city of Lithuania, in the historic Vitė district, where memories always come flooding back. We are proud of the residents of this place who have been actively fostering unity and community for many years,” says Deividas Jacka, General director of “Civinity”.

According to Kęstutis Beržanskis, Head of Building Administration at “Civinity Namai Klaipėda”, there was no such thing as a Vitė community back then, instead there was an eldership active in the area.

“Our first office was not far away, so from the very beginning we were in close contact with the members of the municipality, helping them with various technical tasks. Although “Civinity Namai” is now based in a different location in the city, we continue to have a successful partnership, connecting with local residents and helping to address issues of importance to the community.”

The residents of Klaipėda, who live on the shores of the Curonian Lagoon, formed an official community seven years ago and since then the Vitė neighbourhood has been changing rapidly: the streets and courtyards are getting nicer, everyday living conditions are improving, and most of the houses in the northern part of the neighbourhood have been renovated, thanks to the help of “Civinity”, which manages these buildings.

“Although our main performed function is building management, we try to contribute to the community in other ways, such as communicating with the city government on important issues. But first and foremost, it was the residents themselves who contributed a lot to overcoming the various problems in the neighbourhood and eventually it developed into a beautiful and strong community,” says K. Beržanskis.

The word “neighbour” meaning more

According to Violeta Tarasovienė, the organiser of the Vitė community events, the residents of Klaipėda stand out for their united efforts to create an environment where everyone would enjoy living.

“People here are concerned about the reconstruction of their street, they are collecting signatures for petitions to preserve the trees, and it’s not just a few houses that are involved, it’s the residents of the whole street. I also don’t know of any other communities where people share the information that they have a certain number of ferry tickets to Sweden and invite anyone in the community to join them”, says V. Tarasoviene.

The Neighbours’ Day event at Klaipėda Central stadium is also open not only to the residents of the Vitė neighbourhood, but also to all interested persons. The festive programme will include various attractions for children, an opportunity to get acquainted with the profession of firefighters and police officers and the equipment used for their work, performances will be shown by Klaipėda schoolchildren, and families will be invited to take part in games and enjoy other entertainment.

“A neighbour should know and communicate with his fellow neighbour. If the neighbours live in the same building, I think that all the things that happen in that building, whether good or bad, should bring the residents together. Nowadays, people living in the same staircase often do not know each other. Meanwhile, in and around the Vitė neighbourhood, the concept of a neighbour has taken on a deeper meaning – a neighbour is not only a person who lives next door to you, but also nearby businesses that contribute to the wellbeing of the Vitė community”, says V. Tarasoviene.

United by a desire to make a difference

As Tomas Meškinis, the chairman of the Vitė community, says, one person is not enough to bring about major changes, which is why having an active local community is crucial. T. Meškinis says he has noticed that public authorities are more attentive to the problems expressed when they are approached by a large number of people.

“For example, the municipality allocates funds for building renovation, and our community is doing its best to make sure that as many houses as possible in the Vitė quarter receive this support. Meanwhile, at the height of the pandemic, there was a need for public gyms – after all, everything was closed and people had nowhere to go. To this end, we have developed a project and obtained the necessary funding. Neighbouring companies are also helping us: they provide support for the lighting of the neighbourhood’s courtyards, equipment for cleaning works, and help to clean up the pavements and children’s playgrounds,” says T. Meškinis.

Once people have achieved some results, they realise that more can be done together, such as annual clean-ups and festivals. According to the chairman, a compromise must be sought in all situations. The upcoming annual Neighbours’ Day celebration is a great opportunity not only to build new relationships, but also to work out previous differences in a friendly way – not only friends, but also neighbours who sometimes argue with each other, but who let their anger die down at the celebration.

In addition, points out the community chairman, there are also social and psychological aspects – some residents may have no one to talk to and may be lonely, so community events provide an opportunity to get to know their neighbours, who do not have to be from the same staircase.

“Before we had our community, some neighbours living in the same staircase didn’t even say hello. I think it’s a bit harder to create such communities, especially in the cities, when people come back from work, sit in front of the TV, and that’s all they want to do. But we believe that if you take care of your environment, others will be inspired when they see it. People sometimes ask if they can join us after seeing our work. We are open to all, and everyone contributes with their own skills. Finally, when you achieve something with your neighbours, not alone, and see your neighbourhood change for the better, that’s the biggest motivation. We are creating an attractive environment not only for ourselves, but also for our children and future generations”, says T. Meškinis.