IOM is this week inviting people in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, to send a postcard to a loved one abroad in an initiative to remind them that bonds connecting people are much stronger than the distance separating them.

The initiative, "Far is Close", is part of efforts to mark IOM’s 60th anniversary not just in Geneva where the Organization has its headquarters, but in many countries around the world.

The patron of the "Far is Close" campaign, former Lithuanian president Valdas Adamkus, is inviting residents of the capital and those visiting it, to send a postcard designed by IOM to a friend or family member abroad.

In cooperation with the Lithuanian Post, all postcards will be stamped with a special IOM stamp designed for the occasion and will be dispatched to destination countries free of charge. Under the initiative, 10,000 postcards will be sent this way.

"Nearly everyone has a family member, relative or friend living abroad. Modern technologies ensure a very fast way to communicate with one another. However, they cannot replace the joy and warmth of receiving a hand-written postcard," says Audra Sipaviciene, IOM Vilnius Head of Office. "This week, IOM is an intermediary helping people to reconnect. Travel, explore but keep in touch with your loved ones. This is the key message of our initiative," she adds.

Valdas Adamkus was the first to send a postcard. A forced migrant who has lived abroad for almost 50 years, he knows all too well what it means to receive something from one’s homeland and from those one misses.

As well as with Lithuanian Post, IOM has teamed up with Western Union, the International Christmas Charity Bazaar Initiative, Vilnius City Municipality, DELFI, Omnitel, Coffee Inn and Westexpress, to carry out this campaign.