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ECFG-Latvia-2021R.Pdf
About this Guide This guide is designed to prepare you to deploy to culturally complex environments and achieve mission objectives. The fundamental information contained within will help you understand the cultural dimension of your assigned location and gain skills necessary for success (Photo: A Latvian musician plays a popular folk instrument - the dūdas (bagpipe), photo courtesy of Culture Grams, ProQuest). The guide consists of 2 parts: ECFG Part 1 “Culture General” provides the foundational knowledge you need to operate effectively in any global environment with a focus on the Baltic States. Part 2 “Culture Specific” describes unique cultural features of Latvia Latvian society. It applies culture-general concepts to help increase your knowledge of your deployment location. This section is designed to complement other pre-deployment training (Photo: A US jumpmaster inspects a Latvian paratrooper during International Jump Week hosted by Special Operations Command Europe). For further information, visit the Air Force Culture and Language Center (AFCLC) website at www.airuniversity.af.edu/AFCLC/ or contact the AFCLC Region Team at [email protected]. Disclaimer: All text is the property of the AFCLC and may not be modified by a change in title, content, or labeling. It may be reproduced in its current format with the express permission of the AFCLC. All photography is provided as a courtesy of the US government, Wikimedia, and other sources. GENERAL CULTURE PART 1 – CULTURE GENERAL What is Culture? Fundamental to all aspects of human existence, culture shapes the way humans view life and functions as a tool we use to adapt to our social and physical environments. -
THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH Department for External Church Relations
THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH Department for External Church Relations His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of the Latvian Republic Valdis Zatlers On 20 December 2010, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church met with the President of the Latvian Republic, Valdis Zatlers. The meeting took place at the Patriarch's working residence in Chisty sidestreet, Moscow. The Latvian President was accompanied by his wife Ms. Lilita Zatlers; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Latvian Republic to the Russian Federation Edgars Skuja; head of the President's Chancery Edgars Rinkevichs; state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andris Teikmanis; Riga Mayor Nil Ushakov; foreign relations advisor to the President, Andris Pelsh; and advisor to the President, Vasily Melnik. Taking part in the meeting were also Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Alexander of Riga and All Lat via; and Bishop Alexander of Daugavpils. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Latvian Republic A. Veshnyakov and the third secretary of the Second European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs S. Abramkin represented the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia cordially greeted the President of Latvia and his suite, expressing his hope for the first visit of Valdis Zatlers to Moscow to serve to the strengthening of friendly relations between people of the two countries. His Holiness noted with appreciation the high level of relations between the Latvian Republic and the Russian Orthodox Church. "It is an encouraging fact that the Law on the Latvian Orthodox Church has come into force in Latvia in 2008. -
Yale Medicine Magazine
yAn appale for Lyme A food m desert on edicineMixing medicine autumn 2010 disease Whalley Avenue and business 5 6 18 Women in medicine and the “glass ceiling” 12 autumn 2 0 1 0 yale medicine autumn 2 0 1 0 CONTENTS 2 Letters 4 Chronicle 8 Books & Ideas 0 1 Capsule 12 Improving the lot of women in medicine In many areas women at the School of Medicine fare better than counterparts around the country, but hidden biases remain. By Jill Max 18 When medicine meets the business world Yale alumni heal the sick—not at the bedside one by one but in the boardroom by the thousands. By Jenny Blair 24 Faculty 6 2 Students 8 2 Alumni 2 3 In Memoriam 3 3 End Note on the cover Joanne Weidhaas juggles a dual career as a physician- scientist, plus a family life that includes a husband and three children. Growing up with a twin brother, Weidhaas never thought that men and women might be treated differently. this page Weidhaas’ work as a clinician informs her research as a scientist. One question that moved from the bedside to the lab is why some people get cancer and others don’t. Weidhaas recently discovered a genetic marker associ- ated with increased risk of ovarian cancer and worse outcomes. Photographs by Julie Brown 2 letters Only one take on this elderly woman had brought a it was not reachable. Wood asked health care? stranger into her house and cared Cushing how long the procedure Are we to believe from the article for her for the past five years in was going to last. -
Latvia's 'Russian Left': Trapped Between Ethnic, Socialist, and Social-Democratic Identities
Cheskin, A., and March, L. (2016) Latvia’s ‘Russian left’: trapped between ethnic, socialist, and social-democratic identities. In: March, L. and Keith, D. (eds.) Europe's Radical Left: From Marginality to the Mainstream? Rowman & Littlefield: London, pp. 231-252. ISBN 9781783485352. There may be differences between this version and the published version. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/133777/ Deposited on: 11 January 2017 Enlighten – Research publications by members of the University of Glasgow http://eprints.gla.ac.uk This is an author’s final draft. The article has been published as: Cheskin, A. & March, L. (2016) ‘Latvia’s ‘Russian left’: Trapped between ethnic, socialist, and social-democratic identities’ in, L. March & D. Keith (eds.) Europe’s radical left: From marginality to the mainstream? Rowman and Littlefield: London, pp. 231-252. Latvia’s ‘Russian left’: trapped between ethnic, socialist, and social- democratic identities Ammon Cheskin and Luke March Following the 2008 economic crisis, Latvia suffered the worst loss of output in the world, with GDP collapsing 25 percent.1 Yet Latvia’s radical left has shown no notable ideological or strategic response. Existing RLPs did not secure significant political gains from the crisis, nor have new challengers benefitted. Indeed, Latvia has been heralded as a ‘poster child’ for austerity as the right has continued to dominate government policy.2 This chapter explores this puzzle. Although the economic crisis was economically destructive, we argue that the political responses have been consistently ethnicised in Latvia. Additionally, the Latvian left has been equally challenged intellectually and strategically by the ethnically-framed Ukrainian crisis of 2014. -
GENERAL ELECTIONS in LATVIA 17Th September 2011
GENERAL ELECTIONS IN LATVIA 17th September 2011 European Elections monitor The opposition party, Harmony Centre, comes out ahead in from Corinne Deloy the general elections Translated by Helen Levy On 17th September a leftwing party came out ahead in the general elections in Latvia for the first time since 1991, the year in which the country recovered independence. Harmony Centre (SC) won 28.37% of the vote and 31 seats in parliament (+ 2 in comparison with the previous election on 2nd RESULTS October 2010). Harmony Centre took the lead over the Zatlers’s Reform Party (ZRP), a rightwing group founded by former President of the Republic (2007-2011) Valdis Zatlers, which won 20.82% of the vote and 22 seats and Unity (V), the party of outgoing Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, which won 18.83% of the vote and 20 seats (- 13). The centre-right also emerges strengthened after these elections and should be able to form a government. National Alliance–All for Latvia, a new party that was formed after the merger of the Union for the Fatherland (TB/LNNK) and the far right party, All for Latvia (VL) is the other winner in this election. It has clearly gained ground coming fourth with 13.88% of the vote and 14 seats (+ 6), just ahead of the Greens and Farmers Union (ZSS), a member of the outgoing government coalition, which won 12.22% of the vote and 12 seats (- 9). The other parties, including the People’s Party (TP) led by businessman and former Prime Minister (1995-1997 and 1999-2000) Andris Skele Latvia’s First-Latvia’s Way (LPP-LC), led by Ainars Sle- sers did not manage to rise above the 5% threshold of votes cast, which are vital to be represented in the Saeima, the only chamber of Parliament. -
Latvia Country Report
m o c 50 km . s p m a o m c 50 km - 30 mi . d s p © a m - 30 mi d © Valmiera Ventspils Cē sis Talsi Gulbene Sigulda Jū rmala Kuldī ga Tukums Riga Salaspils Madona Olaine Ogre Saldus Dobele Jelgava Liepā ja Jē kabpils Rē zekne Bauska Krā slava Republic of Latvia Daugavpils Country Report Table of contents: Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 2 Latvia’s transition to a Western-style political and economic model since regaining its independence in 1991 culminated in its 2004 accession to the EU and NATO. Overcoming an initial dependence on Russia, and various crises in the 1990s, Latvia has shown impressive economic growth since 2000. Read more. History ................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Latvia lies between its fellow Baltic states of Estonia and Lithuania, with Belarus and Russia to the east. The USSR annexed the country in 1940 and the Nazis occupied it during World War II. Up to 95% of the country’s Jewish population perished in the Holocaust. Read more. Domestic Situation .............................................................................................................................................. 4 Latvia is a stable parliamentary democracy ranked as “free” by Freedom House. Its constitution guarantees basic civil liberties that the government recognizes in practice. The -
BRUSSELS FORUM 2009 20 Years After the Fall of the Iron Curtain
BRUSSELS FORUM 2009 20 Years after the Fall of the Iron Curtain Anne Applebaum The Washington Post I was once told never to do this in front of a microphone because it makes a very annoying sound, but I think maybe my microphone is far enough away. Thank you very much for inviting me. Thank you all for being here. As you know from your programs, this is the panel entitled “20 Years after the Fall of the Iron Curtain.” What that means, for those of you who were here in this morning's panel with Minister Lavrov, that on this panel you are allowed to talk about history. You are, indeed, encouraged to talk about history, particularly because if there is a part of the world in which perceptions of the past shape the present, and continue to shape contemporary politics more than this one, more than Central Europe, then I don't know what it is. Although I don't expect we're going to argue over details, sometimes it is important to get to the bottom of what really happened, what we really did and what took place over the last two decades in order to explain the present. I will start by making a few remarks of my own, and then I will introduce our extremely distinguished panel who, among them I tried to count - not very successfully - but they have something like 120 years of experience in public office. All of them are very distinguished. All of them remember 1989 and will be able to talk about it very well. -
Foreign Policy Audit: Ukraine-Latvia
Kateryna Zarembo Elizabete Vizgunova FOREIGN POLICY AUDIT: Ukraine– LATVIA DISCUSSION PAPER Кyiv 2018 The report was produced with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. Photos: Administration of the President of Ukraine, Verkhovna Rada, Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Authors: Kateryna Zarembo, Elizabete Vizgunova CONTENTS 1. Introduction 4 2. Ukraine’s interest in Latvia and Latvia’s interest in Ukraine: points of intersection 7 2.1. Russia’s aggression in Ukraine: impact on Latvia’s Euro-Atlantic identity 7 2.2. Development cooperation: Partner to partner, not teacher to pupil 14 2.3. A common past as a bridge between two countries 19 2.4. Trade and investment: room for improvement 22 3. Who’s who: key stakeholders and pressure groups 25 3.1. Political elites 25 3.2. Latvian civil society and culture space 28 3.3. Media and the information space 32 3.4. The Ukrainian community in Latvia 33 4. Existing and potential risks and conflicts 35 4.1. Change in Latvian policy towards Ukraine after the October 2018 elections 35 4.2. Deterioration in relations over poor business conditions in Ukraine 36 4.3. Susceptibility of public opinion in Latvia to Russian disinformation 37 5. Recommendations 39 6. Acknowledgements 41 3 Foreign Policy Audit: Ukraine-Latvia 1. INTRODUCTION Relations between Ukraine and Latvia make an interesting and a rare example of bilateral relations. -
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION in LATVIA 3Rd June 2015
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN LATVIA 3rd June 2015 European Elections monitor The Latvian Parliament will meet on 3rd June to elect the Corinne Deloy President of the Republic Abstract : Analysis On 10th April last the President of the Latvian Republic Andris Berzins told his fellow countrymen that he did not wish to remain for a further mandate as Head of State. According to a poll by TNS Latvia for the TV channel LNT 2/3 of the Latvians (68%) backed the outgoing head of State’s deci- sion. 41% of them said that Mr Berzins had chosen to do this because he knew that he did not have enough support within the Saiema, Parliament’s only chamber. The outgoing President is the first in Latvia’s history to give up on a second mandate due to personal reasons in justification of his decision. The Presidential Office electorate vote against dissolution, the President of the Republic has to resign from office and the Saeima then The Latvian head of State is elected for four year man- elects his successor for the remainder of the presiden- date (renewable once) by the absolute majority of the tial mandate. 100 members of the Saeima. Voting is undertaken via a secret ballot. The post is open to any Latvian (who is On the request of at least half of the MPs the head of not a national of any other country) aged at least 40. State can be impeached by Parliament during a closed Candidates must enter their bid at least 50 days and session if at least 2/3 of its members vote in support. -
Human Rights in Latvia 1 January 2002 – 30 June 2002
Human Rights in Latvia 1 January 2002 – 30 June 2002 Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies a member of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights Alberta St. 13, Riga LV 1010 tel. 371-7039290 fax: 371-7039291 e-mail: [email protected] Contents Elections and Political Rights…...…………………………………………………….1 Judicial System and Domestic Safeguards…………………………………………….1 Freedom of Expression and the Media………………………………………………...2 Right to Privacy and Family Life……………………………………………………...3 Torture, Ill-Treatment and Misconduct by Law Enforcement Officials………………4 Freedom of Religion (and Conscientious Objection)………………………………….4 Conditions in Prisons and Detention Facilities………………………………………..5 Minority Rights……….……………………………………………………………….5 Citizenship………………………………………………….………………………….7 Intolerance, Xenophobia, Racial Discrimination and Hate Speech…………………...7 Protection of Asylum Seekers and Refugees………………………………………….8 Women’s Rights……………………………………………………………………….9 Rights of the Child…………………………………………………………..…….…10 Rights of the Mentally Ill…………………………………………………………….10 Patient’s Rights………………………………………………………………………10 LCHRES Legal Aid, 1 January 2002- 30 June 2002……………………………..11 Activities of the LCHRES, 1 January 2002- 30 June 2002……………………….12 Elections and Political Rights The first half of 2002 witnessed abolition of the controversial language requirement for public office. On 9 April 2002 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a ruling on Ingrida Podkolzina’s application challenging the language requirement. Podkolzina had been a deputy candidate from the People’s Harmony Party in the parliamentary elections held in October 1998. On 21 August 1998 the Central Electoral Commission struck Podkolzina from the electoral list on the basis of a decision of the State Language Centre. Although Podkolzina possessed the required state language proficiency certificate of the highest level, the State Language Centre re-examined Podkolzina’s language proficiency and found that it did not correspond to the level indicated in her state language certificate. -
Latvia Reloaded – the Parties Are Trying to Revive the Spirit of 1991
1|2011 KAS INTERNATIONAL REPORTS 71 Latvia reLoaded – the parties are trying to revive the spirit of 1991 Andreas M. Klein In many ways, the elections of 2nd October 2010 were a call for Latvia’s 1.5 million citizens to decide the future direction of their country. On the one hand the ruling coalition made up of “Unity” (Vienotība), “Union of Greens and Farmers” (Zaļo un Zemnieku Savienība / ZZS) and “For Fatherland and Freedom” (Tēvzemei un Brīvībai / TB/LNNK), headed by Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis, sought agreement for its austerity policies caused by the crisis, on the other Andreas M. Klein is hand the electorate had to vote on whether the business Resident Represen- tative of the Konrad- interests of the Latvian “oligarchs” should continue to have Adenauer-Stiftung in a significant influence on the country’s politics. On top of Latvia. this, since the local elections of June 2009, there had been a shift in power towards the “Harmony Centre” (Saskaņas Centrs / SC), the party representing the ethnic Russian minority, which after the election became the strongest faction on the influential Riga City Council and which maintained steady support in the polls of between 25 to 30 per cent in the lead-up to the election. In the end the civic electoral alliance Vienotība, which was formed in March out of “New Era” (Jaunais laiks / JL), “Civic Union” (Pilsoniskā savienība / PS) and “Society for Other Politics” (SCP), won a surprise clear majority over the other parties with 31.22 per cent of the vote. And as the two previous coalition also increased their share of the vote, the ruling coalition came out of the tenth elections to the Saeima, the Latvian Parliament, stronger than ever. -
Inequality and Governance in Latvia
IN DEFIANCE OF FATE Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector in Latvia Artis Pabriks 2003 Part of UNRISD Project on Ethnic Structure, Inequality and Governance of the Public Sector. All unauthorized citation, duplication or distribution prohibited without the approval of UNRISD and the authors. Introduction This report discuss the issue of ethnic equality and governance in respect to socio- political stability in Latvia from the historic perspective. Latvia, just like the overwhelming majority of modern states is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural country. Latvian history and geography is a relevant factor in order to understand the dynamics of ethnic relations and ethnopolitics. Geopolitically, Latvia is squeezed on the shores of the Baltic between larger powers, Russia, Germany, Poland, and Sweden. Time to time, each of these countries was eager to dominate the region and its population by political, economic, and cultural means thus influencing Latvia’s ethnic composition as well as ethnic relations. During the two World Wars of the 20th century, country was twice turned into extensive war zone. It has experienced several occupations and dominance of totalitarian ideologies. Latvia was ruled by democratic, authoritarian, and totalitarian regimes one after another. It has experienced market economy as well as centralized communist rule. Its population went through economically wealthy periods and faced hunger. People of Latvia have experienced respect and humanity in their mutual relations just like they have been facing terror, humiliation, deportations and death. Most of political analysts would argue that these are not conditions favouring independent and democratic statehood. Indeed, the world, even Europe knows dozens of ethnic groups and nations much larger in size and in economic power which never have experienced their own statehood.