Justinas Pagirys, a fresh public policy graduate from the National University of Singapore, joins Social and Economic Development Centre to steer the Social Entrepreneurship program.

The program was launched to foster the development of social businesses, which would become significant actors tackling most pressing societal and environmental problems in the region. SEDC in turn aspires to become the leading institution working with social enterprises in Lithuania and an important Centre for social innovation in the Eastern Europe.

Justinas, who first graduated in political science from Vilnius University, has spent one year working in the Institute of International Relations and Political Science and had internships with the Office of the President in Vilnius as well as Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels.

Pursuing public policy degree Justinas got engaged in social enterprise issues, a rapidly emerging field in South Asia. For a number of different assignments Justinas had a chance to work with Impact Investment Exchange in Singapore, Gawad Kalinga and Human Nature in the Philippines – actual frontiers of social innovation. Organizations like these have already shown the significant social benefits entrepreneurs are able to provide.

Joining SEPC Justinas aims to introduce the Lithuania and other Eastern European countries to the map of social entrepreneurship. Undergoing the financial crisis, experiencing cuts in philanthropic capital and continuously suffering from a number of social illnesses, these countries urgently need to promote sustainable businesses that tackle social and environmental challenges.