Latvian center Gaŗezers marks 45 years of education, culture, recreation

The Latvian center Gaŗezers, located in southwest Michigan, is set to mark its 45th anniversary of providing educational, cultural and recreational resources to Latvians from the American Midwest and beyond.

The center, near Three Rivers, Mich., will mark the anniversary with three days of celebrations from July 23-25, including a concert by Čikāgas piecīši, an art exhibit, an open-air dance and a worship service.

Gaŗezers, situated on Long Lake, began as idea in 1964 to create a summer camp for Latvian Lutheran congregations in the Midwest. The center’s founders created a nonprofit corporation and in 1965 acquired the former Girl Scout property that became Gaŗezers.

The center today is home for a six-week summer high school for Latvian youth (Gaŗezera Vasaras vidusskola), a summer camp for children, camping and trailer facilities, and other activities such as an annual 3×3 culture camp for families.

Gaŗezers includes more than 50 buildings, according to the center’s website. The nonprofit’s net assets at the close of 2008 totaled more than USD 1.5 million, according to the corporation’s tax return. That year, it took in nearly USD 293,000 in contributions.

The anniversary festivities at Gaŗezers begin at 8 p.m. July 23 with a concert by ČIkāgas piecīši. Admission to the concert is USD 15.

Events on July 24 include the opening at 10:30 a.m. of an art exhibit, “Mākslinieks trimdā: Latviešu bēgļu māksla 1944-1950,” focused on the art of Latvian refugees, lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the anniversary concert and open air dance at 7 p.m. The concert, set in the Song Valley (Dziesmu leja), will include performances by the Gaŗezers choir, Dzlmieši, Kīns un Mednis and DJ MGD. Admission to the exhibit is USD 10, while admission to the concert costs USD 25.

The anniversary celebration concludes July 25 with a 10:30 a.m. worship service in the open-air church and a noon lunch, silent auction and talent show for supporters of the Gaŗezers Summer High School. Admission to the lunch and talent show is USD 10.

A ticket to all events costs USD 50 and may be purchased in the Gaŗezers office. Children younger than 12, as well as participants in and employees of Gaŗezers summer programs, will be admitted free.

For further information, visit the center’s website at www.garezers.org.

Clinton marks anniversary of U.S. non-recognition policy

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is marking the 70th anniversary of the Welles Declaration, the document that declared the United States would not recognize the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union.

In a July 20 announcement, Clinton said the anniversary of the declaration reaffirms the strong bond between the U.S. and Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

The Welles Declaration was signed July 23, 1940, by the acting U.S. secretary of state, Sumner Welles. It followed the June 1940 military occupation of the three countries by the Soviet Union. On July 21, a new but undemocratically elected Latvian parliament voted to seek admission into the Soviet Union.

“During these past few days,” the Welles Declaration began, “the devious processes whereunder the political independence and territorial integrity of the three small Baltic republics—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—were to be deliberately annihilated by one of their more powerful neighbors, have been rapidly drawing to their conclusion.”

The Baltic states were accepted into the Soviet Union in early August.

The declaration paved the way for other nations not to recognize Soviet power in the Baltics. Estonian historian Eero Medijainen, in an essay in The Baltic Question During the Cold War, suggested that U.S. policy toward the Baltics was lukewarm through the 1920s and 1930s, but changed markedly with the Welles Declaration. Clinton’s announcement, posted on the State Department’s website, noted the importance of the document.

“This milestone document supported the Baltic States as independent republics at a critical moment to ensure their international recognition and facilitate the continued operation of their diplomatic missions during 50 years of occupation,” Clinton said. The Latvian and Lithuanian embassies in Washington, D.C., and the Estonian consulate in New York became the diplomatic missions in exile.

“The Welles Declaration is a testament to our longstanding support of the Baltic states and a tribute to each of our countries’ commitment to the ideals of freedom and democracy,” Clinton added. “As Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania celebrate nearly 20 years of fully restored independence, we honor our Baltic friends as valued NATO allies, strong partners in Europe and on the international stage, and living proof of all that democracy and good governance can achieve.”

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.

Harmony Centre is first to file for upcoming Saeima election

The political party Harmony Centre (Saskaņas centrs), which some observers say will fare well in the upcoming Latvian parliamentary election, has become the first party to file its list of candidates, according to the Central Election Commission in Rīga.

Harmony Centre has put forward 115 candidates—the maximum allowed—in all five election districts (Rīga, Vidzeme, Latgale, Zemgale and Kurzeme), commission spokesperson Kristīne Bērziņa said in a press release. The list was submitted July 14, the day filing for election opened.

The Russian-oriented Harmony Centre bills itself as a center-left party. Its leader, Nils Ušakovs, is mayor of Rīga.

The party’s list of candidates, which still has to be reviewed and approved by the election commission, includes 96 men and 19 women. Fifteen of the candidates are incumbents.

In the Rīga district, Harmony Centre’s list is led by the party’s candidate for prime minister, Jānis Urbanovičs, who is chairman of the party’s fraction in the current Saeima. Second and third on the list are Sergejs Dolgopolovs, head of the Rīga city development committee, and Andrejs Klementjevs, a current member of the Saeima, according to a Harmony Centre press release.

Political parties have until Aug. 3 to submit their candidate lists to the Central Election Commission.

The election for the 10th Saeima is scheduled Oct. 2.

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.