2026-09-17 15:00:00
ACHIEVEMENTS
Organizations capable of mobilizing around 400,000 people unite for total defense
At the Total Defence Forum held at the Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, 63 businesses, municipal bodies, non-governmental organisations, associations and state institutions formalised a joint commitment to systematically prepare for their role in total defence. According to estimates by the Total Defence Association, the organisations that have joined the Charter of Commitments by Lithuanian Organisations to Total Defence, initiated by the Association, can mobilise around 400,000 people in Lithuania, as well as representatives of the Lithuanian diaspora in 55 countries, for coordinated total defence action.
This is the first wave of organisations to come together within one month and commit to systematic preparation: training employees, strengthening business continuity and resilience, participating in exercises, and involving their partners and communities in preparedness efforts. The Association calls this operating principle the swarm effect - society’s ability to quickly organise into a coordinated and effective unit in complex situations.
“I symbolically view today’s confirmation of these commitments by signature as lighting a signal fire and passing the message on to others: form a swarm, build resilience and light your own signal fires - pass the message on to partners, suppliers, clients, associations, communities and other organisations. Total defence is everyone’s responsibility,” says Tomas Godliauskas, head of the Total Defence Association. According to him, an information-sharing and coordination system will also be created in parallel.
The Charter of Commitments by Lithuanian Organisations to Total Defence is a practical standard for organisational preparedness. Its signatories commit to training their people, strengthening organisational resilience and implementing specific additional preparedness measures every year. The Association’s goal is for 50% of Lithuanian companies and organisations to understand their role in total defence and be prepared for it by 2030.
At the Total Defence Forum, the Employers’ Initiative was also formalised by signature, under which employers commit to financially supporting employees who voluntarily choose to perform compulsory initial military service.
In the first week alone, the initiative was joined by Telia, Maxima, Hostinger, Omnisend, the Tesonet group, Artea Bank, TELE2 and the Kilo group. Together, these companies employ more than 20,000 people.
“We are seeing the beginning of a new standard in the labour market. An employee makes the decision to defend the common cause, while the employer, in military terms, has their back. What matters most is not having an identical support mechanism, but the principle: a person who chooses to serve should feel the support not only of the state, but also of their employer,” says T. Godliauskas.
It is estimated that, depending on the support model chosen
by the employer, over the nine-month service period a young person can
accumulate EUR 19,000-22,000 in financial capital, including benefits paid by
the state.
Organisational mobilisation is complemented by a decision at the state level
During the Total Defence Forum, the National Total Defence Coordination Council, chaired by the President, took another important step by adopting a decision in principle on the need to introduce universal conscription in Lithuania by 2030. The National Total Defence Coordination Council adopted a joint resolution to approach the State Defence Council (VGT) with a proposal that the Ministry of National Defence and the Lithuanian Armed Forces prepare, within the next few months, an assessment of whether the introduction of universal conscription could be accelerated by five years and implemented by 2030. Possible forms of service will also be assessed. A decision on whether the state can organise universal conscription by 2030 is expected to be made later this year.
A representative public opinion survey commissioned by the Total Defence Association and conducted in August showed that nearly 80% of Lithuanian residents support universal conscription by 2030.
“The decision of the National Total Defence Coordination Council is significant because representatives of society unanimously expressed their expectation that universal conscription should be enshrined in law and passed the baton to politicians and institutions,” emphasises T. Godliauskas.
The first organisations to sign the “Charter of Commitments by Lithuanian Organisations to Total Defence”
11. UAB “15min”
2. AB “Artea bankas”
3. Investors’ Forum Association
4. Open Lithuania Foundation
5. UAB “Axioma Metering”
6. Baltic Classifieds Group PLC
7. UAB “Cloudvisor”
8. DELFI, UAB
9. UAB “Diena Media News”
10. UAB “E energija” (E-Energija)
11. UAB “EPSO-G”
12. UAB “Estravel Vilnius”
13. UAB “Fabula ir partneriai” (Fabula Rud Pedersen Lithuania)
14. UAB “Frontu”
15. UAB “HOSTINGER”
16. HOSTINGER operations, UAB
17. AB “Ignitis grupė”
18. INFOBALT Association
19. Pro Patria Youth Movement
20. Cyber Security Experts Association
21. UAB “Kilo grupė”
22. UAB “KPMG Baltics”
23. Kupiškis District Municipality Administration
24. Frida Charity and Support Foundation
25. Lithuanian Fintech Association
26. Conference of Directors of Lithuanian Universities of Applied Sciences
27. National Museum of Lithuania
28. Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania
29. Lithuanian Scouts
30. Lithuanian Sports University
31. Lithuanian Students’ Union
32. Lithuanian Business Confederation
33. Lithuanian Youth Council (LiJOT)
34. VšĮ “Locked N Loaded”
35. UAB “Lrytas”
36. UAB “LupaSearch”
37. UAB “Mainline Lithuania” (Mainline.inc)
38. UAB “Mazon Holding”
39. National Association of Creative and Cultural Industries
40. UAB “Novo Nordisk Pharma”
41. NRD CS, UAB (NRD Cyber Security)
42. UAB “Omnisend”
43. Lithuanian World Community
44. UAB “Perlas Finance”
45. UAB “Perlas Network”
46. UAB “Planas chuliganas”
47. UAB “Practica Capital Management”
48. Association of Supervisory Authorities
49. UAB “Profitus Crowdfunding”
50. UAB “Rimti”
51. UAB “Rizon technologies”
52. Sorainen Law Firm
53. SPA VILNIUS
54. VšĮ “Švietimas numeris vienas”
55. Tauragė District Municipality Administration
56. TEGOS Law Firm
57. UAB “TELE2”
58. Telia Lietuva, AB
59. UAB “Tilbudas”
60. UAB “TRANSFERGO LITHUANIA”
61. Association “Vienaragiai LT”
62. UAB “Vilniaus vandenys”
63. Vinted, UAB
About the Total Defence Association
The Total Defence Association is a Lithuanian non-governmental organisation bringing together civil society, businesses and experts seeking to help shape and participate in the total defence system. The Association was founded by Tomas Godliauskas, Rytis Laurinavičius, Mantas Mikuckas, Jonas Tamulis, Arnas Stuopelis, the association “Vienaragiai LT” and the organisation “Stiprūs kartu”. The Association cooperates with international defence experts, including former Commander of the Finnish Defence Forces Timo Kivinen, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Philip Breedlove, former Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe General Ben Hodges, and others.
