USBF Presents Senator Richard Lugar with
American Statesmanship Award
April 20, 2010
Contact: Trevor Dane
Tel: 202-785-5056
E-mail: trevor@usbaltic.org
WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S.- Baltic Foundation presented Senator Richard G. Lugar with the organization’s American Statesmanship Award at a ceremony in his office. USBF recognized Senator Lugar for his outstanding contributions while in the Senate to promoting stronger relations between the United States and all three Baltic countries. USBF Chairwoman Maria Kivisild Ogrydziak presented the award to Senator Lugar. The presentation will be shown at the 2010 U.S.- Baltic Gala honoring Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius.
Click here to read the text of Maria Kivisild Ogrydziak’s introduction.
Left to right: Ambassador of Lithuania Audrius Bruzga, USBF Board Member Krista Bard, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Estonia Kyllike Sillaste-Elling, USBF Chairwoman Maria Kivisild Ogrydziak, Senator Richard Lugar, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Lithuania Leonas Garbacauskas
The U.S.- Baltic Foundation Presents the
American Statesmanship Award to Senator Richard G. Lugar
The U.S.- Baltic Foundation is pleased to present our American Statesmanship Award to our great friend, Senator Richard Lugar.
Through his leadership on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Lugar has been a consistent supporter of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as they have emerged from captive nations to become active members of the family of western democracies.
Senator Lugar’s personal visits and commitment to the region have helped to deepen ties between the U.S. and the Baltics. From his support of the SEED Act in 1989, to his call for the immediate withdrawal of Soviet troops from the Baltics in 1991, to being an early and strong advocate of NATO enlargement into Eastern Europe, Senator Lugar’s achievements have led to the democratization, freedom and security for the Baltic region.
We are grateful to Senator Lugar for Co-Sponsoring the Resolution to designate June 14th as Baltic Freedom Day.
Senator Lugar has made the Baltic region safer and more secure through The Nunn- Lugar Program, which helped to dismantle and destroy the Soviet Union's vast arsenal of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons in Eastern Europe.
Senator Lugar has supported energy independence globally and understands the strategic importance of energy security. As the U.S. representative at the Nabucco Summit in 2009, Senator Lugar stated “that cooperation on energy can be a powerful force for peace.”
The U.S.- Baltic Foundation appreciates and applauds Senator Lugar’s commitment to promoting academic exchange programs, and people to people connections with the U.S. and the Baltics. His hands- on approach, personal commitment and regional vision of peace and cooperation for Central Europe exemplifies U.S. diplomacy at its best. Thank you, Senator Lugar, for your efforts and your friendship.