Jonas Kačkus Tybjerg

Spatial Story

I like to see myself as a citizen of the Baltic Sea. My journey began in Aarhus, Denmark, continued in Vilnius, Lithuania, and since 2023 has brought me to Stockholm, Sweden. Adding to this, my grandfather grew up in Iceland, further deepening my Nordic roots. With a Danish-Lithuanian background, it feels almost natural that I’ve dedicated myself to strengthening cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic regions.

I don’t remember much from my childhood in Aarhus probably because I was busy keeping everyone on their toes as a baby. Nevertheless, it still remains the place which I visit at least once a year to visit my family, the ARoS or Moesgaard museum and grab my favourite tuna sandwich from the same shop which has been open for as long as I can remember.

Vilnius was where I spent most of my youth. While living in Lithuania, I graduated from a choir school, where I first learned the ins and outs of music. So, if anyone needs me to play “Tears in Heaven” on the guitar or “Gymnopédie” on the piano, my contact details are to the right of the page!

Despite living in Lithuania, I kept close ties with my Danish roots as well. For instance, I spent 5 years playing football in two leading clubs, but as you might have guessed, I did not end up on the national team of either Lithuania or Denmark. After coming to terms with the fact that my football career wasn’t going to lift off, I decided to turn to political science, something a bit more realistic, and luckily, less likely to give me shin splints.

During my bachelor’s years studying political science at Vilnius university, I spent 6 months in Tbilisi, Georgia, which meant that while everyone in the EU were locked in because of Covid, I got to travel the whole country and experience it without any tourists. During my bachelor’s, I also interned at the Nordic Council of Ministers’ office in Lithuania, where my journey in regional cooperation officially kicked off. After my bachelor’s, I figured one internship just wouldn’t cut it, so I dove into another at the Council of the Baltic Sea States in Stockholm, where I worked with regional identity and youth participation in decision-making. I began my master’s degree in political science at Stockholm university shortly after that, at which point I also discovered Nordregio and began doing research part-time. Since my graduation, I have become a true Nordegian.

From a would-be football star to a self-proclaimed musician, avid traveller, student, and researcher – that’s my slightly chaotic journey around the Baltic Sea so far. Although I’m constantly hopping from country to country, Denmark and Lithuania remain the places I call home.