Puńsk commune Puńsk commune emblem with St. Peter Punsk commune is situated in north-eastern part of the Podlasie province and belongs to the Sejny county. It was erected on 1 January 1973. The neighbouring communes are: Szypliszki, Krasnopol and Sejny. The north-eastern part of Puńsk Commune neighbors with the border of Lithuania. The commune is 139 km² in area. It encompasses 33 villages. It has a population of 4521 and 80% of the people are Lithuanians. In Punsk there are around 1120 inhabitants. The Lithuanian Culture House is cultural centre, round which are concentrated all bands of song and dance in the region, it works from 1956 r. The Lithuanian Culture House organizes a lots of concerts, performances, meetings. Moreover in Puńsk is also the Lithuanian printing house, which publishes biweekly in Lithuanian language "Aušra ” as well as Lithuanian magazine for children "Aušrėle ”. In Puńsk there is also Primary Scholl, Secondary School and Self-government Kindergarden with Polish and Lithuanian language teaching and High School with Lithuanian language teaching. Lithuanian high school from over fifty years keeps traditions and culture of the institution. These traditions are created by teachers, students and their parents, thanks to what they supports the national identity of Lithuanian minority in Poland and integrates whole local community. School traditions create a lot of school events. Lithuanian cultural tradition is important element integrating local community, it is unique sight - sees attraction and dominant element in national identity this ethnic Lithuanian community. In 2007 r. took place 70 cultural events: in the Lithuanian Culture House, in skansen - heritage park, the concerts in Poland and abroad. Very important factor of development of culture in this region is huge attachment of inhabitants' to tradition, desire to taking part actively in different kinds of cultural undertakings. In the Puńsk there is also a Public Library, where it is possibility to use a computers with Internet. The Library is equipped with this computer thanks to EU funds within the project titled: “Internet village – education at distance on the willage terrains” The most of the territory of the commune is hilly with forests in some parts. The biggest is Krejwiany forest, called by the local people “Giluišgiris”. There are a few lakes in this area. The biggest ones are Sejwy and Boksze, the smaller ones – Trumpalaitis, Kampuotis, Juodelis and Punia. There is the Marycha river that flows through the commune territory (its northern part is called by the local people “Šalcia” and “Juodoji”). In the Puńsk commune agriculture is well developed and is the main source of living of local inhabitants. People mainly keep pigs, cows and bulls. The farms are modernized and adapted to EU standards: pigsties and cowcheds are renovated and enlarged, more attention is paid to tidiness of a farm and its surroundings as well as protection of nature. The infrastructure of Puńsk commune is well developed. 20% of roads are asphalted, around 30-50 km of country roads are repaired every year. Each farm has got water 1.10.2021 www.cit.en.ugpunsk.pl // strona 1/2 supply and telephone. There is a sewage treatment plant in Puńsk. The commune office is in Puńsk where are public services, educational and cultural institutions. 1.10.2021 www.cit.en.ugpunsk.pl // strona 2/2.