Vilnius - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
I have seen some prejudices of racial and gender minorities. - Aug 2023
No. - Dec 2022
See above. - Oct 2019
Not that I have obviously seen, though there may be some anti-Muslim immigrant sentiment among some locals, but there really haven't been that many immigrants here. The paper has a weekly column interviewing recent immigrants to familiarize Lithuania with the idea that people actually want to move here. It's been a multi-cultural city for hundreds of years, so most people are bi- or tri-lingual. - Mar 2017
Ethnic and religious prejudices are real. Americans with ethnic roots in Africa and the Middle East are likely going to get comments, although likely nothing more than that. The Holocaust legacy is still a major issue for the Jewish community. Muslim community is small and publicly-observant Muslims will likely also get comments. In general, offensive comments seem to be the worst you would encounter. Gender issues not a major problem for expats. - Mar 2017
There is not much diversity of any type in Lithuania, so being different from the "norm" might result in unwanted curiosity and attention - but probably not hostility. - Aug 2015
There seems to be friction between Lithuanians and ethnic Poles, and there is also a little tension between Lithuanians and ethnic Russians, but nothing that ever really comes out in the workplace. Asian and African-American friends have said that people occasionally stare, but I think that's just mainly out of curiosity. Heck, they stare at me and I look just like they do but I wear a more western-style of clothes. But they just know I'm not Lithuanian. - Jun 2013
Lithuanians are not very experienced with people of different races or religions and adhere largely to traditional gender roles. However, Lithuania has a female president and several other high-ranking female government officials. - Feb 2011
Yes. Besides being homophobic, most Lithuanians also distrust or dislike most racial, ethnic, and religious groups and minorities. Several minority Americans have been assaulted because of the color of their skin. - May 2009
Yes. Several skinhead demonstrations have taken place with few arrests. - Nov 2008
