| Abstract [eng] |
Cultural integration is understood as a two sided process both parts of which, the refugees as well as the host society, take each other positively and have the same possibilities to affect the success of the outcome of the intercultural interaction. Integration depicts refugees’ wish to maintain their own cultural heritage as well as strengthen connection with the host society which on their side supports both of them. Traditionally cultural part of social refugee integration is considered to consist of local language skills and cultural knowledge, where Lithuania is not as exception: intense Lithuanian language course and Lithuanian society introduction course are organized. The latter comprising of making refugee acquainted with history, geography, fauna, flora, constitution and the codes (civic, criminal). The research showed the main points of social integration to be influenced by cultural differences that might hinder whole integration development. It can be stated that education as well as rural or urban origin act as sources of cultural flexibility/ inflexibility. The difficulty of cultural integration lies in the fact that despite the importance of cultural integration, it is implemented occasionally rather then scheduled, and at the same time it cannot be enforced by others, but freely chosen by the refugees or host society members themselves. |
