Embassy of Latvia newsletter - Summer 2011

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SUMMER 2011 ISSUE #12Lehtinen was also this year’s recipient of theMedal.In accepting the award, Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga stressedthe need to educate societies about theCommunism regime, and condemned prejudiceand hatred everywhere in the world, regardless ofideology - Communism, Nazism or terrorism. TheMedal is awarded by the Victims of CommunismMemorial Foundation to individuals that havedemonstrated a life-long commitment to freedom,democracy and opposition to communism and allother forms of tyranny. Previous recipients includeVaclav Havel, Pope John Paul II, Lech Walesa.VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF THE MUSEUM OFOCCUPATION LAUNCHEDDISTINGUISHED PANELISTS FROM LATVIAPARTICIPATE IN NORDIC-BALTIC SECURITYCONFERENCEOn September 7, the Atlantic Council held an alldayconference on Nordic-Baltic security,examining key strategic challenges for thecountries of the Nordic-Baltic region. The eventalso featured the release of “Nordic-Baltic Securityin the 21st Century: The Regional Agenda and theGlobal Role,” a series of issue briefs on topicsrelated to Nordic-Baltic security, including NATO’srole in the region, energy security, and how theregion can play a larger role in the transatlanticcommunity in concert with the U.S., NATO, andthe EU.Former president of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freibergapresented the keynote address; AmbassadorAndrejs Pildegovičs, parliamentarian and formerMinister of Defense Imants Lieģis and academicianAndris Sprūds also participated in the discussion.See www.acus.org or click here for the conferenceprogram and audio recordings of the Nordic-BalticSecurity Conference.This conference is the capstone event of theCouncil's Transatlantic Initiative on Nordic-BalticSecurity, a year-long effort supported by Sweden'sMinistry for Foreign Affairs. The Initiative seeks toraise the level of debate on Nordic-Baltic securityissues in Washington.The Virtual Museum of the Museum of Occupationof Latvia was launched on September 2. This sitewill serve to provide information from the resourcesand archives of the Occupation Museum, such asdocuments, photographs, maps, personalmemorabilia from both the Stalinist and Nazioccupation regimes in Latvia, mainly during theperiod 1940–1953. The Museum also has a sectiondevoted to information about the GULAG andSoviet political persecution. (The Virtual Museumrequires Flash Player 10 with Javascript, pleaseallow time for the link to open)FORMER PRESIDENT VAIRA VĪĶE-FREIBERGA ATTHE ASPEN INSTITUTEOn September 7 in Washington, DC the AspenInstitute welcomed Dr. Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga,former President of Latvia and Madame MichelleBachelet, former President of Chile. At the eveningevent Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga highlighted her belief inemphasizing the contribution of women in buildingstable societies. A video of the event can be viewedhere.2
SUMMER 2011 ISSUE #12BOOK-SIGNING AT THE EMBASSY OF LATVIAOn August 31 Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovičshosted a reception for U.S. government officialsand foreign diplomats to bid farewell to DCM JurisPoikāns, who is returning to the Ministry ofForeign Affairs in Latvia. Ambassador Pildegovičsexpressed his appreciation for Mr. Poikāns’contribution in advancing and strengtheningtransatlantic ties. The Ambassador also introduceddiplomats who recently arrived in Washington: thenew DCM Jurijs Pogrebņaks, as well as CounselorVineta Mēkone and Consul Ilze Vītuma.PARTICIPATE IN THE RIGA CONFERENCE (SEPT.16 AND 17) VIRTUALLY!Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, former President of Latvia withSarma Muižniece-Liepiņa, ALA. photo: Pēteris AlunānsOn September 9 Washington-area Latvians andmembers of the American Latvian Association’s(ALA) board gathered at the Embassy of Latvia fora discussion and book-signing with formerpresident of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga. Thediscussion was led by Sarma Muižniece-Liepiņa,Director of the ALA Cultural Foundation. Dr. Vīķe-Freiberga presented her recently-published booksKultūra un latvietība (Karogs, 2010) about Latvianculture and identity in a global context andTrejādas saules: IV. Metereoloģiskā saule. Gaišāsaule/ The Threefold Sun. The MeteorologicalSun.The Luminous Sun. (Pētergailis, 2011), thefourth in a planned pentalogy about Latvian Sunsongs.COLLEAGUES BID FAREWELL TO DCM JURISPOIKĀNSAmbassador Pildegovics and DCM Juris Poikāns, photo:Pēteris AlunānsThe „Riga Conference,” to be held in Riga, Latvia onFriday, September 16 and Saturday, September17, will be broadcast live, online atwww.rigaconference.lv/live, starting September 16at 4:00 p.m. Latvia time (9:00 a.m. EasternStandard Time). Your participation via Twitter andFacebook is welcome!This year the Riga Conference will welcome thePrime Ministers of Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania,Finland and Poland, who will open with a series ofdebates focused on the changing economic climateand the security of the EU and NATO.Representatives from the State Department, JohnsHopkins, GMF, NDI and CEPA will also beparticipating. Topics include the ousting of politicalregimes in North Africa and the Middle East, thecurrent situation in Belarus, the impact of socialmedia on political regimes and other pressinginternational issues.U.S.-FLAGGED SHIP ARKANSAS (MAERSK)ARRIVES IN RIGAOn August 31, the U.S.-flagged ship Arkansas(Maersk) arrived in Riga Harbor for its first visit.The Arkansas will operate between Bremerhavenand Riga on a regular basis, and will carryprimarily non-lethal military supplies bound forU.S. armed forces in Afghanistan as part of theNorthern Distribution Network (NDN). Maersk’saddition of the Arkansas to NDN service willincrease the NDN capacity by approximately 50%.U.S. Transportation Command and Maersk havetransported over 5,400 containers of such suppliesthrough Riga Harbor since January 2011.3
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Embassy of Latvia newsletter - Summer 2011

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