Section Editor

THOMAS CHEPAITIS

Thomas Chepaitis was born 5 June 1959 in Moscow to a family of professional translators of fiction, Nathalie Trauberg and Virgilijus Chepaitis. Attended secondary schools in Vilnius and Moscow, since 18 working in a film studio and as book collector. Studied in the small, prestigious Moscow Literature Institute, magister of literature. Freelancer essayist, reviewer, columnist and translator of fiction from English, Polish, French, Lithuanian, Russian and Byelorussian into Lithuanian, Russian and English. 1991-2007 writing for the newspapers "Dziennyk Balticki" (Gdansk, Poland), "Lietuvos Aidas" (Vilnius),  "Hudson Times" (Hudson, NY, USA), "Inostranec" (Moscow). Wrote sketches, essays, translated for "Namas ir Ash", "Laiko Balsas", "Shiaures Atenai", "Istina i zhiznj" weeklies and magazines. Also graduated from New York Art and Trauma Institute in 2000, and has a certificate of professional poetry-therapist.
Since 1998 holds the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzhupis Republic. Has appointed around 260 ambassadors among people of many professions and nationalities with the aim "to unite the most remote places, people and things in the world, and help the world to be reborn again - through the smallest country possible:)". He is an author (together with Uzhupis president Romas Lileikis) of the popular Uzhupis Bill of Rights, and author of the coat of arms of Uzhupis. Organized around 20 Uzhupis presentation shows in Lithuania and abroad. As an artist (mix media, drawings) and photographer held 7 personal and took part in 7 collective exhibitions. Wrote 3 screenplays, 6 librettoes, translated 5 plays and 5 novels, a lot of stories and poems. T. Chepaitis is a winner (among 9000 people) of the big "Haiku for Vilnius" contest in 2009.
Thomas Ch. offers the following services: advertising in his newspaper "Uzhupis Herald" uzheroldas1615@yahoo.com , translations for legal, business, regulations and other fields, live and synchronic translations, screenplays, copyrighting uzupis.fafministry@gmail.com. The Uzhupis Republic Foreign Affairs Ministry provides a lot of other services, from bookbinding to Esperanto courses, from ceramics to the architectural projects, an so on and so on and so very very on:)

RASA MEKUŠKAITĖ

A young artist and designer who coordinates creativity projects with artists from Lithuania and foreign countries. She studied Costumes Design at the Vilnius Art Academy. Now she is a member of the alternative Užupis Art Inkubator in the ‘Republic of Užupis’. She works as fashion designer, personal stylist and consultant, as well as theatre’s costume designer, creating installations and artistically performances. Her fields of interests are from tribal art to modern culture, from folk songs to classical music, nature and human touch.

Email: rasa.mekuskaite@gmail.com

WYMAN BRENT

„Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity“ (Horace Mann). This is the motto that follows at the end of each email you will get from Wyman. Because this gentleman baptist, born and growing up under the Southern Californian sun, has dedicated his life to promoting tolerance and understanding.  His enormous Project over the latest years has been to collect books about or written by Jews. His moitv is to help strengthen Jewish culture and to fight anti-Semitism, and he has now more than 5.000 bokks that he will use foro a Jewish library in Vilnius.

„I have gotten down on my knees underneath a hot sun to scrub a broken sink.  I have lifted box after heavy box of books until my back was aching.  I moved from sunny Southern California to a land where I have seen it snow as early as October and as late as April.  I have spent countless hours and tens of thousands of dollars to collect and ship books, CDs, and DVDs.  During my journey from California to Lithuania, I stopped along the way and bought more material for the library.  There were stops in London, Budapest, and Krakow.  Each time my luggage became heavier and heavier.  All of this I have gladly done and will gladly do the rest of my life.  What are you willing to do to?  Nobody is asking you to get down on your hands and knees.  Nobody is asking for you to spend your last dollar as I have done.  What I am asking is, what will you do today for Jewish culture?“

Email: vilniusjewishlibrary@yahoo.com

KRISTINA SIRVINSKAITE

Psychologist, professional skydiver, public activist. Her interests focus on literature, spoken and written word, anthropological travelling, cultural diversity, environmental problems and their impact on human health and wellbeing. 

Email: Kristina.sirvinskaite@VilNews.com