Exactly one year ago, on 23 October, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM Lithuania) Migration Information Centre (MiCenter) opened its doors. Over the past year, MiCenter has received more than 6 000 visits and provided over 8,000 consultations to foreigners.

'We opened MiCenter as a one-stop-shop for foreigners who have come to Lithuania for various reasons. Here, people can access services on a one-stop-shop basis. Given the large number of war refugees from Ukraine at present, many are coming to MiCenter, where they can learn Lithuanian for free, receive emotional health services, and participate in various events,' says Eitvydas Bingelis, the Head of IOM Lithuania.

MiCenter offers therapeutic groups for teenagers, children, and seniors four times a year. Once a week, foreigners meet with psychologists to find the best ways to integrate. 'MiCenter has become a second home for children and seniors, and the warm communication and support from the staff helps those who had to leave their homes due to the horrors of war feel safer and better. I know that our seniors feel like family here and look forward to coming. I hope MiCenter continues to grow and attract more foreigners in Lithuania, helping them integrate successfully,' says Inna Shulzhenko, a psychologist and art therapist from Ukraine."

MiCenter hosted more than 190 events throughout the year. 'These events ranged from a Christmas market to a Eurovision Challenge and storytelling sessions. Our goal was to invite foreigners to our center, where they can take their first steps, get to know Lithuania, find answers to their most important questions, and learn the essential information they need for successful integration,' says Edita Urbanovič, MiCenter project manager.

'In my opinion, MiCenter's work is not only important but also absolutely necessary. It has become a vital source of information and support for foreigners in Lithuania who are seeking ways to integrate into a new society. MiCenter's events—both cultural and educational—help build bridges between different cultures, fostering deeper mutual understanding and meaningful connections. Everyone who visits can not only discover new interests but also find warm, friendly support and meet like-minded people,' says Alla Cherez, a musician and visitor to MiCenter."

According to the Migration Department, the proportion of foreigners in Lithuania's population has increased from 1.08% to 7.69% since 2013. In 2024, the total number of foreigners residing in Lithuania for more than six months rose from approximately 33,300 to 221,800, representing a 6.7-fold increase over the same period.

Bünyamin Elçin, a Turkish national who founded the Let's Learn Lithuanian club, which meets weekly at MiCenter, says: "I wanted to create something small but meaningful. We meet every Wednesday to learn Lithuanian, but just as important is the opportunity for Lithuanians and foreigners to talk and get to know each other better."

"It is clear that foreigners in Lithuania want to integrate, and MiCenter is the place where they can do that by learning about the culture, the language, and through social interactions. These are the key ingredients that facilitate integration," says Bingelis.

According to last year's Spinter survey, commissioned by IOM Lithuania, the majority (77%) of the population in Lithuania had encountered migrants from third countries in the last two years: 26% had direct contact with them, while 51% had observed them without personal interaction. The vast majority (89%) of respondents indicated that their experience with migrants was with war refugees from Ukraine. A third (33%) had encountered Belarusian migrants, and a quarter (24%) had encountered labor migrants from central Asia.18% with migrants from the Middle East. 12% encountered migrants entering Lithuania via the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.   
As of 24 February 2022, more than 90,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Lithuania.