U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has applauded Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians on the 20th anniversary of the Baltic Way protest against Soviet rule, calling the Aug. 23, 1989, event “a landmark in the struggle for self-determination.”

In a statement released Aug. 21, Clinton said the protest inspired many people around the world.

The 1989 demonstration saw an estimated 2 million people in the Baltic republics create a human chain that stretched 600 kilometers. The date, Aug. 23, marked the 50th anniversary of the 1939 Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The pact included a secret protocol that led to Soviet occupation the Baltics.

Clinton noted that people in the Baltics will commemorate the anniversary with various public and private activities.

“They have many reasons to be proud,” Clinton said in the statement. “The same determination and spirit that fueled the Baltic Way protests have helped the Baltic republics become champions of human rights and democracy. They are valued members of NATO and the European Union and provide leadership around the world.”

“On this historic occasion,” she added, “let me reaffirm the commitment of the United States to strengthen and deepen our partnerships with the people and governments of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.”

Events in Washington

In Washington, D.C., the Baltic Way will be commemorated in an Aug. 23 reenactment in which participants will be asked to link hands in a human chain from the Embassy of Latvia at 2306 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. to the Embassy of Estonia at 2131 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. The demonstration begins at 2 p.m.

The reenactment will be preceded with observances beginning at 11 a.m. in the Embassy of Lithuania, 2622 16th St. N.W.

A demonstration of solidarity with Georgia is planned at 2:30 p.m. at the Embassy of Georgia, 2209 Massachusetts Ave. N.W.

In addition, the documentary film The Soviet Story will be screened at 1:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. in the Embassy of Latvia.

The events are being coordinated by the Joint Baltic American National Committee. Further information is available by visiting jbanc.org.

A proposed amendment that would expand dual citizenship in Latvia is being opposed by For Fatherland and Freedom (Tēvzemei un brīvībai, or TB/LNNK), one of the ruling coalition’s five parties.

However, TB/LNNK supports another amendment that would again allow exile Latvians and their descendants to apply for dual citizenship.

Both amendments are part of a legislative package proposed by the Cabinet of Ministers. The TB/LNNK board decided Aug. 17 that it will oppose the proposal, which is due to be reviewed by coalition parties on Aug. 24, a party spokesman said in a press release.

The amendment TB/LNNK does not like would automatically grant Latvian citizenship to newborn children even in cases where one of the parents is not a Latvian citizen.

“The TB/LNNK board believes that this expansion of dual citizenship policy should be allowed only in relation to those children who are born in marriages between a Latvian citizen and citizens of other European Union or NATO states,” according to the press release.

Under the current citizenship law, newborns are considered Latvian citizens irregardless of where they are born as long as both parents are also Latvian citizens. If just one parent is a Latvian citizen, then the parents decide which citizenship the child will have. Dual citizenship is not allowed.

For exile Latvians and their descendants, the Cabinet of Ministers proposal offers hope that dual citizenship could again be offered. An amendment would lift the restriction that exiled citizens and their descendants could register as Latvian citizens only until July 1995. That amendment, according to the TB/LNNK press release, has the party’s support.

Under the current citizenship law, Latvian citizens who between June 17, 1940, and May 4, 1990, had gone into exile to escape the Soviet and Nazi occupations of the country, and who in the meantime had become naturalized citizens of another country, could also register as Latvian citizens. The rule also applied to descendants of the exiles. However, the opportunity to become a dual citizen expired in July 1995.

This is not the first time changes to the citizenship law have been proposed by the government, nor the first time TB/LNNK has opposed them. Changes proposed last year by the now-defunct Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration Affairs ran into roadblocks.

A total of 30,793 persons registered for dual citizenship by July 1995, according to the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. The greatest number, 12,473, were from the United States, followed by Australia (4,283) and Canada (3,788).

The Latvian Three Tenors (Trīs tenori), who include Latvian National Opera soloists Miervaldis Jenčs, Nauris Puntulis and Guntars Ruņģis, will join composer and pianist Juris Kulakovs in a month-long tour of the United States and Canada beginning Aug. 22, the cultural organization TILTS has announced.

The trio will marks its fifth North American tour with a concert program titled “Bel ami.” The program will include both classical opera works and modern songs.

The first part of the program will focus on the 1930s and will feature popular opera arias and compositions by Jānis Kalniņš, as well as operettas and songs from films. The second part of the program will feature Latvian folk songs arranged by Kulakovs such as “Strauja, strauja upe tecēj,” “Gara gara šī naksniņa” and “Toļi dzeivuj muna meilo.”

Performances are set:

• Aug. 22 in New York at 7:30 p.m. during the 3X3 culture camp at the Latvian Lutheran Camp near Elka Park in the Catskills. For further information, visit www.3x3katskilos.info.
• Aug. 23 in New Jersey at the Latvian Center Priedaine, 1017 Highway 33 East, Freehold. For further information, contact Jānis Students, +1 (732) 836-9750.
• Aug. 29 in New York at 5 p.m. in the Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 4 Riga Lane, Melville. For further information, contact Aija Pelše at +1 (516) 935-0967. The concert is organized by the Latvian National Opera Guild.
• Aug. 30 in Massachusetts at 1 p.m. in the “Trimda” Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 58 Irving St., Brookline. For further information, contact Jānis Bībelnieks at +1 (781) 326-5085.
• Sept. 2 in Québec in the Latvian Community Centre, 3955 Provost, Lachine. For further information, contact A. Vītols at +1 (514) 637-9702.
• Sept. 4 in Ontario at 7 p.m. in the Latvian Canadian Cultural Centre, 4 Credit Union Drive, Toronto. For further information, contact Agra Vāgnere at +1 (416) 236-7074.
• Sept. 6 in Ohio at 7 p.m. in the United Latvian Ev.-Lutheran Church, 1385 Andrews Ave, Lakewood. For further information, contact Anda Cook at +1 (216) 651-0486.
• Sept. 8 in Michigan in the St. Paul Latvian Ev. Luth. Church of Detroit, 30623 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills. For further information, contact Līga Jēkabsone at +1 (734) 426-8488.
• Sept. 9 in Michigan at 7 p.m. in the The Union Cabaret & Grille, 125 S. Kalamazoo Mall, Kalamazoo. Until Sept. 8, tickets are USD 35 for adults and USD 25 for senior citizens and students. At the door, tickets will cost USD 40. Dinner will be served before the concert from 5-6 p.m., but the cost is not included in the ticket price. For further information, contact Jānis Grants at +1 (269) 349-7597.
• Sept. 11 in Wisconsin at 5 p.m. in the Latvian House of Milwaukee, 8845 W. Lynx Ave., Milwaukee. For further information, contact Andris Magurs at +1 (920) 356-0501.
• Sept. 12 in Illinois at 3 p.m. the Latvian House, 4146 N. Elston Ave. For further information, contact Armands Birkens at +1 (773) 282-6510.
• Sept. 13 in Minnesota at 6 p.m. in the Ritz Theater, 345 13th St. N.E., Minneapolis. For further information, contact Maija Zaeska at +1 (763) 436-1129.
• Sept. 17 in Washington in the Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church, 11710 3rd Ave. N.E., Seattle. For further information, contact Sarmīte Davidson.
• Sept. 19 in California at 1 p.m. in the Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of Northern California, 425 Hoffman Ave., San Francisco. For further information, contact Zinta Zariņa, +1 (650) 973-1794.
• Sept. 20 in California at 1 p.m. in the Latvian Community Center, 1955 Riverside Drive, Los Angeles. For further information, contact Pauls Berkholds, +1 (818) 366-4972.
• Sept. 23 in Nebraska in the Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church of Lincoln, 1231 S. 33 St., Lincoln. For further information, contact V. Didrihsone, +1 (402) 486-3823.
• Sept. 25 in Indiana in the Latvian Community Center, 1008 W. 64th St., Indianapolis. For further information, contact Andris Bērziņš at +1 (317) 652-1781.
• Sept. 27 in the Washington, D.C., area in the Latvian Ev. Lutheran Church, 400 Hurley Ave., Rockville, Md. For further information, contact Anita Juberte at +1 (301) 340-8919.

Puntulis is a graduate of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and also has studied in the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy. He has been a soloist with the Latvian National Opera since 1994.

Ruņģis joined the Latvian National Opera in 1990. He also is a graduate of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and studied further in master classes. He is founder and artistic director of the J. Zābers Memorial Foundation and works as vocal coach with the Rīga-based male choir Frachori.

Jenčs, another graduate of the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, has also studied in Italy and Lithuania. He has performed with the Latvian National Opera and the Rīga Musical Theater.

Kulakovs is perhaps best known as a founding member of the rock group Pērkons.

The Latvian Three Tenors has recorded three albums. Trīs jaunās māsas, released in 2006, was made in collaboration with the Rīga Dome Boys Choir. Mīlas lidojums, released in 2004, was nominated for classical album of the year in the Latvian Music Recording Award competition (Latvijas Mūzikas ierakstu gada balva). Piacer d’Amor was released in 1999.