Jauna latviešu skoliņa Vācijā

Latvians Online | 

Vācijas pilsētā Bonnā tiek veidota un dibināta jauna latviešu bērnu svētdienas skoliņa “Kamolītis”. Tiek uzņemti bērni vecumā no 3 lidz 10 gadiem. Jaunākā grupiņa 3-5 g.v., vecākā 6-10 g.v.

2010. gada sākumā skolai tiks atvēlēta telpa Godesberger Allee (Friesdorf).

Skolas nodarbibās tiks aktualizētas tēmas, kas saistītas ar Latviju, lai mūsu bērni svešumā neaizmirst savu zemi, tās tradīcijas, dziesmas, svētkus un valodu. Bērni uzzinās daudz ko jaunu un pie reizes arī atpūtīsies, iepazīsies un gūs motivāciju runāt latviski. Nodarbības vadīs sākumskolas skolotāja Zane Priede. Visus Bonnas apkārtnē dzīvojošos latviešu bērnus aicina pieteikties pie Priedes, lai varētu sarunāt pirmo kopējo tikšanos (telefons +49 0151 50900283 vai pa e-pastu zanepriede77@gmail.com.

Atbalstu skolai izteikusi Pasaules brīvo latviešu apvienība (PBLA), kā arī tiek uzņemti pirmie kontakti ar līdzīgu skoliņu Luksemburgā.

Kā stāsta Priede, “Tas nekas, ja Jūsu bērni nerunā labi latviski; mēs atradīsim kopēju valodu!”

Survey seeks input from U.S. Latvians on next Saeima election

Andris Straumanis | 

To help prepare for the next Saeima election in 2010, the Latvian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the American Latvian Association have organized a survey of Latvian citizens in the United States.

Results of the survey, according to the embassy and the ALA, will be used to help determine the number and location of polling stations in the United States. Polling stations are set up by Latvia’s Central Election Commission on the advice of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The number of Latvians citizens voting in the United States has decreased with each parliamentary election. During the last election in 2006, a total of 1,479 citizens in United States cast ballots. Four years earlier, in the 2002 election, a total of 1,698 ballots were cast, while the 1998 election saw 2,928 votes.

During the 2006 election, polling stations in the United States were set up in Boston; Chicago; Cleveland, Ohio; Los Angeles; Minneapolis, Minn.; New York; St. Petersburg, Fla.; Seattle, Wash., and Washington, D.C.

Other countries with large exile generation populations also have seen declines in voting. However, in countries such as Ireland and the United Kingdom, where a surge in new immigrants from Latvia has been recorded, the number of voters has jumped.

The 11-question, three-page Latvian-language survey asks about potential voters’ motivation to cast ballots in the next election as well as the best way to publicize information about the election. Survey results also will be used to understand what changes might be necessary in the election process.

Completed surveys should be returned by Oct. 31 to the embassy by e-mail to embassy.usa@mfa.gov.lv, by fax to +1 (202) 328-2860, or by postal mail to Embassy of Latvia, 2306 Massachusetts Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20008.

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

Historians commission releases 25th volume

Andris Straumanis | 

The 25th book in a series of titles released by the Commission of the Historians of Latvia (Latvijas Vēsturnieku komisija) is due out Sept. 30, President Valdis Zatlers’ press office has announced.

Titled Okupācijas režīmi Baltijas valstīs 1940-1991, the book will contain 41 articles with new information about the recent history of the Baltics under Nazi and Soviet occupation.

Authors from 10 different countries are represented in the new volume, according to the press office. Among Latvian historians are Inesis Feldmanis, Ainārs Bambals, Argita Daudze, Ritvars Jansons and Antonijs Zunda. Also included is an article by Russian scholar Boris Sokolov, who examines Soviet rule in the Baltics and how Russian scholars view the period today.

The historians commission, which includes scholars from Latvia and abroad, was formed in 1998 under former President Guntis Ulmanis. Its main mission is to study crimes against humanity during the six decades of occupation, which began with the Soviet takeover of Latvia in June 1940. Four different task groups operate under the commission, according to the president’s Web site: one studies crimes against humanity from 1940-1941; a second examines the Holocaust in Latvia from 1941-1944; a third looks at crimes against humanity during the Nazi occupation from 1941-1944; and a fourth researches crimes against humanity under Stalin-era Soviet occupation from 1944-1956.

Okupācijas režīmi Baltijas valstīs 1940-1991 will be for sale in physical format in Latvian bookstores, but in the near future also will be offered for download from the president’s Web site, where volumes 11 (Latvija nacistiskās Vācijas okupācijas varā 1941–1945) through 24 (Baltijas reģiona vēsture 20. gadsimta 40.– 80. fados) already are available for download as Acrobat PDF files. It would be nice if the president’s office would make the first 10 volumes available, too.

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