Many educated Lithuanians fled to western countries, hoping to avoid approaching Soviet repressions.
In 1960, Lithuanians in the U.S., among them future President of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus, collected about 40,000 signatures and petitioned the United States government to intervene in the ongoing deportations of Lithuanians to Siberia conducted by the Soviets.
[3] In August 2006, President Valdas Adamkus attended the opening ceremony of the World Lithuanian Community's 12th Seimas.
Adamkus proposed new goals for the Community as it was facing new challenges which had to be accepted and dealt with because a new wave of Lithuanians had left their homeland since the declaration of independence in 1990.
Its main goal is to periodically adopt and review the Community's strategy and program.