Kaunas proposes honorary citizenship for business leader Rakauskas and patron Kiznius

The city of Kaunas has proposed granting honorary citizenship to businessman Augustinas Rakauskas, founder of the Senukai retail chain, and art collector and philanthropist Pranas Kiznius, the municipal awards commission announced on Saturday.

Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis submitted both nominations, citing their lifelong contributions to the city’s economic, cultural, and social development. The Kaunas City Council will vote on the proposals at its next session on April 21.

Rakauskas, a native of Kaunas, was recognised for his decades-long role in expanding the city’s business landscape, his philanthropy through the Senukai Charity Fund, and his support for cultural events, including the annual Operetė Kauno pilyje (Operetta at Kaunas Castle) festival. The awards commission highlighted his investments as pivotal to Kaunas’s economic and cultural progress.

Kiznius, a prominent patron of the arts, was nominated for his efforts in preserving Lithuania’s cultural heritage, including donations of 15th–17th century Western European artworks to national museums. His initiatives funded public sculptures in Kaunas, such as monuments to Grand Duke Alexander Jogailaitis and engineer Petras Vileišis, as well as the Laisvės karys (Freedom Warrior) statue near Kaunas Castle.

During this week’s review by the council’s Education, Culture, and Sports Committee, councillor Audronė Jankuvienė raised concerns over Rakauskas’s past legal issues under Soviet rule, though she acknowledged that “a person cannot be judged forever for youthful mistakes.” Committee deputy chairman Benjaminas Želvys stated no evidence of wrongdoing was presented. The committee approved Rakauskas’s nomination in a 5–2 vote, with Jankuvienė and conservative Egidijus Stancikas abstaining. Kiznius’s candidacy passed unanimously.

Kaunas has awarded honorary citizenship to 35 individuals since the practice was established, including independence leader Vytautas Landsbergis, former president Valdas Adamkus, priest Ričardas Mikutavičius, and basketball legend Arvydas Sabonis. The title recognises exceptional contributions to the city’s reputation in culture, science, sports, or public life, as well as lasting impact on its social and economic welfare.