Linas Vaicekauskas graduated from LCC this spring. After his thesis defence Linas’ research was admitted by Klaipeda Municipality as one of the best theses among city students this year as the most adaptive and actual for Klaipeda! So, be involved in the local community, discover it and study at the same time is possible, isn’t it? Read more about Linas’ research in this article.

'' I've started this project with a quest to figure out where Klaipėda city center is because it depends on who you have a conversation with. If you ask any international student, most likely they would say it's Akropolis; in other conversations, you could hear Theatre Square being mentioned, however, recent history and the occupation period suggest that Revival Square has the title of the central square. So, I decided to investigate this instance and figure out how Klaipėda's residents perceive Revival Square and if it's really the city center.

Locals gladly shared their stories and allowed me to step into their shoes; those insights clearly communicate the need for a community and central place where people could get together, relax, and be involved in Klaipėda's life.

It was truly an honor and a privilege to share these thoughts and local residents' vision for Revival Square in the Municipality (Ideal square - should be a relaxation oasis with Lithuanian symbols). Yet this research isn't only relevant to Klaipėda city; such squares that in Soviet times were thriving places, exist all across Lithuania - Lukiškių Square is one of them - as well as many other countries that were occupied by the Soviets. So there is a lot more work to be done, a lot more stories to be heard, and a lot more coffee cups to be drunk not only to understand what vision people have for such squares elsewhere but also how these places go hand in hand with city's overall identity as well as our cultural heritage and collective memory.''