The first Rotary scholarships in the name of major Carsten Leth

It was my great pleasure and honor today to award the first Rotary scholarships in the name of the former Danish Land Forces officer Major Carsten Leth to the top lieutenants graduating General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania. These scholarships are given to the top lieutenant, based on their academic achievements and recommendation from the Academy leadership.

The idea to establish such a scholarship dates back quite a while and it took several years to prepare. After many discussions and consultations with the Carsten's family, the Governor 2017-2018 Algimantas Lukoševičius initiated the formal preparatory procedures, and the district Board, led by the Governor 2019-2020 Arūnas Burkšas, approved the first list of scholarship recipients, graduating the General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania in 2020, while I had the honor and pleasure to actually deliver the scholarships during the official graduation ceremony on July 30, 2020 as the new Governor of Lithuania for the year 2020-2021.

Every year Lithuanian Rotary district has committed to allocate at least EUR 3000 for these scholarships and to award them to the top graduating lieutenants, based on their academic achievements, as education was another cause very dear to Carsten Leth's heart. The first recipients are:

• lieutenant Mr. AIvaras Giedraitis

• lieutenant Mr. Leonas Ruzgas,

• lieutenant Mr. Simonas Panavas, and

• lieutenant Ms. Morta Janutėnaitė.

The graduation ceremony started in front of the Palace of the President of Lithuania H.E. Gitanas Nausėda, who is also a Chief Commander of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The President has awarded Military Academy graduates with their first military rank of Lieutenant, by touching each shoulder with a sword. Later the graduation ceremony continued in the Academy premises.

In my congratulatory remarks, celebrating the scholarship recipients, I have highlighted the importance of academic excellence, strategic and critical thinking. As famous military strategist Sun Tzu has said, the best victory is achieved without starting a war. The best strategies begin not in a war field, but in the minds of great military leaders. Also, even though Rotary is focusing on humanitarian projects, a number of prominent Lithuanian military leaders have been Rotary members since the early years before the soviet occupation, including former ministers of defense Antanas Merkys, a member of the first-ever Kaunas Rotary club, and Antanas Gustaitis, Commander-in-Chief of Lithuanian Air Force, who modernized Lithuanian military aviation, developed a training system and even designed and constructed an aircraft ANBO (an acronym for Lithuanian phrase "Antanas nori būti ore", i.e. Antanas wants to be in the air).

Major Carsten Leth (1935-03-27 to 2012-03-25) was a very special friend of Lithuania and a prominent Rotarian, instrumental in reviving and strengthening the Rotary movement in Lithuania, including growing into an independent Rotary International district 1462 and contributing personally to a growing number of clubs from just 6 in 1995 to 26 on 1999. Carsten joined Rotary, Bogense Rotary Club in Denmark, district 1460, back in 1976, and served as its President in 1987-1988. Carsten became district 1460 Governor in 1992-1993 and his name is engraved as the first name on the Governor's chain (Collar) of the independent Lithuanian Rotary district 1462 to celebrate his huge contributions to Lithuania. Prior to becoming an independent district 1462, we shared a joint Danish-Lithuanian district 1460, yet, Lithuania had its own Lithuanian Rotary Committee, a unique structure in all Eastern and Middle Europe, that Carsten has chaired in 1994-2000. He loved Lithuania from the depth of his heart.