Anabela Vaitkevičiūtė: empowering the next generation

From an early age, Anabela Vaitkevičiūtė felt a calling to climate action.

“I have tried to answer that call all my conscious life. It started when I became president of my school’s student council,” she says. “But even then, my main goal was environmental action and the Green Deal.” This passion pushed her into city politics at just 15, where she quickly became a rising star in Vilnius’ environmental scene.

Founding the Youth Environmental Organisation

Now 18 and studying quantitative economics at Vilnius University, Anabela launched the Youth Environmental Organisation (GenGamta) this year. The idea stemmed from a conversation with friends about the lack of climate-focused educational and advocacy organisations for young people in Lithuania.

The thought stayed with her and gradually evolved into a concrete plan. “I began to daydream about what it might look like, what its aims could be,” she says. “After several months, I reached the conclusion that it was important and something we needed to act on.”

She wants younger generations not just to understand climate issues, but to feel their urgency. “The goal of the organisation is for the climate crisis to become an issue that people truly feel, not only know about,” Anabela says.

Creating change in the present

Anabela urges her generation to take a more active role in political life. “People often say we are the future. But we are not only the future – we are also the present,” she observes. “Unfortunately, that is not reflected in election results.”

She argues that younger generations have their passion stifled early in life, leading them to doubt their capacity to drive change. “The entire system, especially education in the early years, discourages young people from taking action,” she says.

Nevertheless, Anabela remains optimistic that environmentally friendly behaviour can become widespread if perceived as popular and socially desirable. “When you see that the majority of people are doing something, you want to be part of it too,” she notes. “So maybe showing that many people are involved in environmental actions/movements would encourage others to join.”

Vilnius as European Green Capital 2025

Vilnius’s selection as the European Green Capital for 2025 has immensely inspired Anabela. For her, the award feels like a recognition of the city’s impactful work. “As someone working in the field, it’s motivating – it encourages me and others to go further,” she says. “It shows that our initiatives can lead to real change.”

The award has also drawn greater attention to the city, facilitating new initiatives and opportunities. “It helps with securing funding, as well as fostering cooperation and access to expertise from others in the city,” she explains. “It was a great year to launch our organisation.”

Anabela believes the title has emboldened residents to push the local government towards more ecologically sound policies. She points to public protests that successfully halted a city proposal to remove 30-minute transport tickets – the most used and most affordable. Their elimination would likely have discouraged public transport, undermining green efforts.

For Anabela, this success highlights the influence of civic action and the accountability of government. “In Lithuania, there’s a belief that only those in power can make a difference. But we forget that we gave them that power – ultimately, it lies in our hands,” she says. “Providing examples of what is possible can empower communities to act.”

Looking to the future

Anabela is currently focused on developing the infrastructure and future direction of her organisation. “We’ve been working on a strategy: how the organisation could operate, what it could achieve, planning this year’s events,” she says. “We’ve also made progress building the ambassadors’ network.”

The hardest part, she believes, already lies behind her. “The biggest step has been taken. From here, everything else should be a bit easier.”

Despite the progress, she remains eager to deepen her engagement with the youth of Vilnius. She has begun working with students in small ways and finds it incredibly motivating.

“Sometimes we visit schools to present youth organisations, and that’s when I get to see pupils, something I really want to do,” she says. “That reminds me of my goal and gives me renewed motivation.”

Anabela Vaitkevičiūtė answered the call to climate leadership years ago – now, she plans to help her generation hear it too. “I see young people getting interested, engaging with the topic, thinking about the challenges and coming up with solutions.”