As COVID-19 activities affected the whole world, not surprisingly, it affected our “Second chance” project as well. Instead of gathering all together from Lithuania, South Africa, Vietnam and Peru in Vilnius, Lithuania, having the massive conference and live discussions with experts from academic, NGO and governmental sectors, we had to find creative ways to finalize our project.
Final virtual seminar
The final seminar took place on Zoom. The unusual way of the gathering was amusing and fruitful.
Participants:
- Went through all that was done and recalled the most exciting moments of the project;
- Evaluated the project by using creative methods and online tools;
- Discussed all the project results & deliverables;
- Shared feedback among each other;
- Thought of future opportunities to act in accelerating young (ex-)offenders’ reintegration processes;
- Confirmed the concrete steps to ensure the sustainability plan of the project;
- Guest speakers shared their insights on the project.
“Second Chance” came to an end, but not the efforts and all what’s created within the project!
Strengths of the project that were recognized:
- The actual impact made for target groups;
- Created tangible tools for young (ex-)offenders;
- Quality training courses, deliverables & events developed;
- The professional and well-balanced consortium, successful teamwork;
- Life lessons for participants of the project;
- Expanded cultural understanding;
- Connections and friendships made from all around the world;
- The network of organisations working in the field established;
- Motivated participants of the project;
- The commitment of the organizations to successfully develop the project (even beyond the 2-year span);
Opportunities identified by participants:
- Continue the projects with young (ex-)offenders;
- Continue with online activities, especially during this hard time to support the people we met (e.g. English teaching/pen pal (via online platforms) with ex-offenders and drug users, training (by experts) on knowledge about drugs and offenders);
- Continue developing activities & new projects together with government entities (e.g. INPE National Penitentiary Institute in Peru).
- Carry out programs of continuous action based on those experienced and learned.
Documentary movie screening
As we have visited the prisons and interacted with people serving sentences in the countries where training courses took place – Vietnam, South Africa, Peru – the initial plan was to invite the partners from these countries to give opportunity to meet those in the Lithuanian prisons as well (as part of the final event). Even though COVID-19 did not let this happen in real, we made the contacts with the director and producers of the award-winning documentary movie “Exemplary Behaviour” to get the unique chance to see the movie in all four continents & get to know Lithuanian death sentence prisoners through the camera lense.
The movie reflects the stories of two prisoners, Rimas and Rolandas, who are sentenced to life but driven by the hope of change. Mickevičius himself experienced the journey from anger to forgiveness, which was interrupted by his terminal disease. “Exemplary Behaviour”, completed by its script editor Nerijus Milerius, explores the ideas of forgiveness and social justice, as well as the paradox of exemplary behaviour of murderers currently serving life sentences in Lukiskes Prison in Vilnius and hoping to return to society.
Participants comments after the movie
Participant 1
I am grateful for the opportunity to watch this film. I had ambiguous feelings that include listening to the grieving monologue behind the scenes and the prisoner’s search for hope and the meaning of life in the frame. It is anger, sadness, and pity, and contempt at the same time. I think it can stir everyone’s rethinking of their values. Depending on which side of the crime you are on. I liked the movie. A new experience and a journey through your own shadows.
Participant 2
The film can be explored in various ways – philosophical, religious, psychological, existential, social. The strongest metaphor is the scene of the “disintegration” of a motorcycle in a church. The model of the consistent and exemplary work of the prisoners “breaks down” in the symbol of Christianity – in the church, just as the “sacred” attitudes of the faithful collapse when they condemn the convicts and wish them death. There is a playfulness in that virtue. Another aspect that is touched on is Hope, which shows that it is the hope for a possible amnesty, the hope for the ability to return to society, that gives us the strength to survive and not to get caught. Another important line in the film is the prisoners ’“ love ”story, as it shows how important a person is to a person, how meaningful that hope is to wait for meetings and the desire to have children as a continuation of their genetic existence. The love letter to the green-eyed-woman was very striking – almost every second word with a gracious, diminutive suffix – as a contrast to the brutal acts of cruelty (deprivation of life), it falls into the same category of tenderness – kitten care, holding in hands, care. I liked the manner and presentation of filming. I did not feel the depressing atmosphere (what could be expected in films of this genre).
Participant 3
Thanks for the wonderful opportunity to see this unique movie. ❤ I was truly impressed and captivated by such an accurate transmission and expulsion of feelings from people. Wow. Really strong, deep and light at the same time. The film is as real as life itself. In an emotional sense, everything is conveyed down to the smallest detail, even in moments of silence, the emotion that a person experiences in that moment is felt. It is very deep, subtle and at the same time strong. A great movie that shows that we are all human.
Participant 4
Thanks for the opportunity to watch the movie 🙂 It was very nicely filmed technically, the shots made you feel that prison cold, humidity, gloom and darkness. The part that stuck in my head was the one with the motorcycle as if it was a symbol of freedom and the place where it spins and disperses about shattering hopes. Interestingly, the movie showed the humanity of the prisoners, such as those parts where they joked or worried about dating, about that need for love, sensitivity, adaptation to conditions.
Public discussion “Why is it important to give a second chance?”
The Zoom discussion was recorded and then disseminated in Lithuania, Vietnam, South Africa, Peru, and beyond.
Moderators:
Nerijus Milerius
Rasa Miškinytė
Irena Mickevičienė
Rasa Miliauskaitė
