An untouchable capital fund set up to support the Sugihara House Museum

The untouchable capital (endowment) fund will aim to create an independent passive income stream that will contribute to the future of the museum and enable sharing the stories and values of Chiune Sugihara, Jan Zwartendijk and other diplomats who saved lives during World War II.

The fund will invest accumulated assets and use stable returns to maintain and expand the Sugihara House Museum and to finance social projects.

Saulius Garbaravičius, Chairman of the Board of the newly established fund, said, “The establishment of this untouchable capital (endowment) fund is an investment in the Museum’s future, and we aim to ensure that the funds donated by our supporters will not only help the Museum to survive, but will also contribute to the creation of a sustainable funding system in the long term.”

The Sugihara House Museum is of great importance in both the national and international context, as it was visited by Japanese Prime Minister Fumiyo Kishida in 2023 and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, the Queen of the Netherlands, and many other well-known individuals.

The museum features a variety of exhibitions that tell the personal stories of those who were rescued, the daily lives of refugees and the help by diplomats.

The Tangible Capital Fund was presented to business leaders and government representatives during an official visit to Japan in 2024. At a special event at the Embassy of Lithuania in Tokyo, guests had the opportunity to get acquainted with the museum’s activities and to learn about its future. In the future, the Foundation’s activities will be presented in the United States and other countries.

The legal assistance in the establishment of the untouchable capital fund was provided by COBALT’s team consisting of Partner Eva Suduiko and Senior Associate Giedrė Burdulytė.