Baltic Dialogue Initiative
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania consider their history under the Soviet Union between World War II and 1991 as a time of occupation. Yet their common history with Russia goes back centuries, and their economic future is inevitably linked with their powerful neighbor to the East. With important Russian-speaking communities in their midst, the Baltic nations are faced with the challenge of keeping their own identity while maintaining positive relations with their neighbors. At the same time, since they are integrated into the European Union, they can play a mediating role between Russia and Europe. Scroll down for reports.
Goal: Overcome historical tensions between Russia and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
Methods: Forums, cultural exchanges, and service-learning programs
- Written by: Tatiana Krasnosumova, secretary general, UPF-Northwest Russia
Vilnius, Lithuania—Talented performers as well as masters of folk and applied art gathered at the eighth Light of the Christmas Star festival.
- Written by: Johann Hinterleitner, UPF-Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia - UPF-Estonia held a Peace Forum in Tallinn on Dec. 14 under the topic of “Practical Steps towards Eurasian-European Cooperation and Mutual Prosperity - What Role Can the Baltic Countries Play?“
- Written by: UPF - Russia
The fifth annual “Light of the Christmas Star” festival/сompetition, Dec. 5 – 9, attracted musicians and performers who traveled from St. Petersburg to Finland and Sweden, where they gave concerts and made new friends.
- Written by: UPF - Eurasia
St. Petersburg, Russia - An international group of long-distance runners are making plans to “run for peace” in a super-marathon that will take them through four nations bordering the Baltic Sea in the autumn of 2014.
- Written by: UPF - Eurasia
Riga, Latvia - UPF held a Peace and Security Forum in Riga, Latvia, on Sept. 28, 2013 on the theme “The Baltics and Russia: Toward a Common European Future” as part of UPF's Baltic Dialogue Initiative.
- Written by: UPF - Russia
Komarovo, Russia - A workshop on Unification Thought in the village of Komarovo on March 30, 2013 focused on principles of peacebuilding and UPF's Baltic Dialogue project.
- Written by: UPF - Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia - The XIII Conference of Schoolchildren on "The Baltic region yesterday, today, and tomorrow" took place in St. Petersburg on March 22 – 23, 2013.
- Written by: UPF - Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia - The fifth "Light of the Christmas Star" festival-сompetition was held from Dec. 5 to 9, 2013 in four nations bordering the Baltic Sea: Russia, Finland, Sweden and Estonia.
- Written by: UPF - Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia - Ambassadors for Peace in North-west Russia met in St. Petersburg on June 13. Konstantin Krylov, Secretary General of UPF-Russia, reported about events in Eurasian chapters within the past three months.
- Written by: UPF - Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia - UPF-Estonia convened a leadership conference on the theme of "Peace Building in Multicultural Societies - The Baltic Dialogue Initiative" in Tallinn on June 2.
- Written by: UPF - Russia
Young Russian musicians and artists traveled to Finland and Sweden for the third annual "Light of the Christmas Star" International Festival and Contest December 9 to 14.
- Written by: UPF - Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia - A meeting of Ambassadors for Peace was held in Tallinn on July 2. The program was about the dialogue between Russia and Baltic States. The guests representing NGOs, businesses, and governmental organizations, discussed the basics of the dialogue within the post-Soviet territories.