October 11, 2002:
Lithuania joins GLOBE as the 100th GLOBE country!
Lithuania joins GLOBE this month as the 100th GLOBE country! The Lithuanian
Minister of Science and Education, Algirdas Monkevicius, and U.S. Ambassador,
John Tefft, signed the GLOBE Agreement on October 3, 2002 in Vilnius, Lithuania.
At the signing ceremony Minister Monkevicius, pointed out that there are many schools in Lithuania that are interested in joining the GLOBE program. He also believes that Lithuanian schools will be good and responsible partners for other GLOBE schools in the world.
"We believe that this program will provide a great benefit to schools in Lithuania by developing an interest in science at an early age and by improving our knowledge base for environmental decision-making," said Ambassador John Tefft in his remarks at the signing ceremony. "We look forward to watching the GLOBE program expand to many schools throughout Lithuania and to seeing Lithuania forge educational partnerships with schools around the world through the GLOBE program," Ambassador Tefft added.
Lithuanian scientists, educators and students now join a global partnership with over 12,000 GLOBE schools in 99 countries. As the Ambassador pointed out in his remarks, "In a world where global issues affect communities locally, GLOBE will knit schools together around the globe and permit them to play a tangible role in understanding environmental problems through science." He also added, "The program will cultivate a strong interest in science and lead Lithuanian schoolchildren into careers where they can improve our understanding of environmental issues."
The U.S. Ambassador presented a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver and an alkalinity test kit to the Lithuanian Minister of Science and Education - to present to one of the schools that will participate in GLOBE.