About

Vytautas Landsbergis is a member of the European Parliament and the first Lithuanian head of state after the country established its independence from the Soviet Union. He has been active in politics for over twenty years and was instrumental in the struggle to achieve Lithuanian freedom from Soviet control— it was under his leadership that the country obtained international recognition for its independence and achieved an agreement with Russia about withdrawal of its troops in one year. Later he also served as head of Seimas, the Lithuanian Parliament. Professor Landsbergis has written over 30 books on topics ranging from politics to music, and is the recipient of numerous awards including the Norwegian People's Peace Prize for his role in the restoration of Lithuanian independence in 1991 and a UNESCO medal for fighting for democracy and human rights.