BALTIC BRIEF
Insight and information for friends of The U.S.-Baltic Foundation

March 3, 2009, Volume 2, Issue 3
www.usbaltic.org
Compiled by Trevor Dane

The Baltics in the News

• The Odor Across the Oder:  What’s Gone Wrong in Eastern Europe  (Wall Street Journal)
• The Bill that could break up Europe (The Economist)
• Estonia in deal with Sweden to support currency (The International Herald Tribune)
• New website “Famous Latvia” is launched (The Baltic Course)
• Decision needed on Baltic power links
• Estonian Government confirmed its plan to establish a nuclear power plant by 2023 (The Baltic Course)
• Estonian Convicted of Spying for Russia (The International Herald Tribune)
• Dombrovskis chosen as Latvian PM (BBC)
• Latvian, Lithuanian, Estonian CDS rise after S&P move (Reuters)
• In 2008 exports grew by 5% and imports declined by 5% in Estonia (The Baltic Course)
• World Bank president: Eastern Europe must not fail (Latvia just did)  (The Christian Science Monitor)
• Russia, though absent, looms large at NATO talks (The Associated Press)
• Freedom Is Still the Best Policy (Former Estonian Prime Minister Mart Laar in the Wall Street Journal)
• New investment firm sees bright spots in Eastern gloom (BNE)
• WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE: Ambassadors share U.S.-Baltic call for ‘peace, prosperity’ (The Baltic Times)

USBF at Work

• USBF Sponsored “President Obama and the Baltics”:  On February 12, Ambassador Vaino Reinart of Estonia, Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics (Latvia) and Ambassador Audrius Bruzga (Lithuania) participated in the panel discussion titled “President Obama and the Baltics” at the new Capitol Hill Visitors Center.  The event provided the Ambassadors an opportunity to discuss the most important issues affecting the U.S.-Baltic partnership today.  The panel was moderated by Dr. Michael Haltzel of Johns Hopkins University.
  
  
  

  -  To see the video of the event, please click here
  
  -  WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE: Ambassadors share U.S.-Baltic call for ‘peace, prosperity’
  
  -  Estonian Television Story of event, please click here

• USBF Hosts screening of “The Soviet Story” for State Department Employees:  On Friday, February 27, USBF hosted a screening of the new film “The Soviet Story” for the Office of European and Eurasian Affairs of The State Department.  The screening was followed by a discussion with the film’s writer and director, Edvins Snore.

Supply Chain Venture Forum

Date:               Wednesday May 13 – Sunday 17, 2009
Location:         The Embassy of the Republic of Latvia, Washington, DC
Website:          www.usbaltic.org

What is the Forum?
The 2009 US Baltic Foundation’s Supply Chain Venture Forum is a must-attend event for innovative companies looking for new business opportunities in logistics, supply chain, and emerging technologies.

Organizations and Companies that are supportive:
The USBF invited Gustav Plato, CEO, iiGrowth LLC (www.iigrowth.com) to be the business program chair.  Mr. Plato is also the Director of the Board for the Latvian Chamber of Commerce (www.latchamamericas.org) , which along with iiGrowth have responsibility for the business program.  Gustav Plato can be reach at [email protected] and 240.499.4938 for all questions related to program content and matchmaking.

The following organizations represent the current list of private and public sector enterprises that are participating in the business program. 

 

How to register:
Please click here if you are interested in registering for the program.

Questions regarding the program’s structure, content and matchmaking, please contact Gustav Plato at [email protected].

Questions regarding the program’s planning and logistics, please contact Trevor Dane at [email protected].

U.S.- Baltic Confluence: Forum, Exchange & Gala

• *Tickets Now Available on USBF Website*

  Guest of Honor: H.E. Valdis Zatlers, President of the Republic of Latvia                  
  Date: May 14-17, 2009 (Saturday, May 16, 2009:  Silent Auction and Dinner)
  Venue: Renaissance Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC
  Honorary Chairman: Charles W. Larson, United States Ambassador to Latvia (February 2008- January 2009)
  Co-Host: The Embassy of Poland in the United States
  Dinner: The menu and gala dinner will be prepared by world renowned chef Martins Ritins, Director of Vincents Restaurant in Riga, Latvia.
  Master of Ceremonies: Anita Brikman, Latvian- American television news anchor in Washington, DC

  2009 U.S.- Baltic Gala Award Honorees

  Baltic Statesmanship Award:  President Valdis Zatlers, Republic of Latvia
  Baltic Image Enhancement Award:  Ms. Tiiu Leek
  Special Achievement in Business Award:  Mr. Gerald Wirth
  Corporate Social Responsibility Award:  Diena Group of Newspapers

  
  

Events

• Estonian National Symphony Orchestra tour to USA (March 2009)
• Screenings of documentary Headwind Hall at the "Bridges to the World International Film Series" (Maryland)

Baltic Embassy News

• SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS’ LITHUANIAN (BALTIC) STUDIES IN 2009-2010
• Exhibition about Lithuanian National Sashes

• The Center for Russia, East Europe, and Central Asia (CREECA) and the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison will host the Baltic Studies Summer Institute (BALSSI) in the summer of 2009 (June 15-August 7).  For details, click here

Special Congratulations to James Tusty and Maureen Castle Tusty

• Co-filmmaker of "The Singing Revolution", James Tusty, receives honor from President Ilves of Estonia The Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, Estonia's highest award for foreigners. This is a very special and unexpected recognition after nearly 5 years of work.
  
  

Baltic Documentaries

• The Singing Revolution
• The Soviet Story
• Red Terror on the Amber Coast (please email Father David O’Rourke at [email protected])

For the latest English-language Baltic news on the web, visit The Baltic Times

CLICK HERE to Subscribe to BALTIC BRIEF

Email your news and information to Trevor Dane, or call 202-785-5056

The U.S.- Baltic Foundation in Washington, DC, is a non-political, nongovernmental organization with 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status.  Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.