Over 100 Memory Items Related to the Baltic Way Shared with Europeana 1989

Tallinn, Estonia, 04 September 2013

Around 100 people visited the Europeana 1989 Baltic Way collection days at the Estonian National Library in the capital city of Tallinn on 30-31 August, sharing a total of approximately 150 memory items. Read this press release in Estonian.

In addition to many photos and printed materials, a contributor brought in a handmade blue, black and white Estonian tricolour flag mounted on a broomstick, while another person arrived bearing an old Sony portable radio. Both items had been present at the Baltic Way demonstration.
According to one account, people continued to mark the Baltic Way in a variety of ways after the actual event. For example, a 'green chain' was arranged at Rohuküla harbour as a follow-up, involving participants from the islands of both Saaremaa and Hiiumaa. One man invited his friends to his summer cottage in Kiisa, where he shared beer he'd brewed in his brand new kettle to mark the occasion. One woman brought a pretty light-coloured dress that she'd worn while expecting her first child on the stretch of the Baltic Way demonstration on the big road that circles the city of Türi. Also belonging to this category was a brown coat that had 'taken part' in the Baltic Way. The Tallinn House of Scientists contributed a set of minutes from a meeting that had been held to discuss the events of August 1989, to include the matter of participation in the Baltic Way. Another of their documents reflected brainstorming related to the 1989 legislation on citizenship.
Frank Drauschke, who is one if the initiators of this action to gather memorabilia, contributed his photos of the era. Drauschke, a young East German, had been hitchhiking in the Baltic States during 1989 and took part in the Baltic Way. A woman who had worked as a tourist guide at the Hotel Viru told the story of how she'd taken a group of Germans to participate in the Baltic Way.
A panel discussion that took place on the first of the collection days revisited the background of how the Baltic Way came about. Estonian MEP and Europeana 1989 National Ambassador Tunne Kelam advocated the idea of gathering people's memories and encouraged the public to participate. Mr Kelam previously contributed to a Europeana 1989 roadshow by having his Citizen's Registration Card uploaded to the Europeana website. Historian Küllo Arjakas spoke of the planning that went into the preparatory phase of the Baltic Way. He had with him a set of original meeting notes from the Estonian city of Pärnu that contained interesting details about a meeting of Popular Front members from all three Baltic countries as they laid the groundwork for the huge coming demonstration in which a huge number of people linked hands. Mr Arjakas contributed his notes for inclusion in the Europeana virtual archive.
Filmmaker Peeter Simm, whose documentary film 'The Baltic Way' was shown during the collection days, related stories about the making of the film. Simm happened to see a young man emerging from a forest path with a fishing pole on his shoulder, decked out with an attached Estonian flag. Simm had not been prepared to record the spontaneous event, and asked the young man to retrace his steps so that he could be filmed. Then a Russian TV crew appeared, and the lad had to walk out of the woods a third time. Later the Russian crew said that this is typical of Estonians, who always take the most direct route to their objective.
Press photographer Peeter Langovits, who worked for the Estonian news agency ETA, which was a TASS subsidiary at the time, recalled how he had covered the Baltic Way while on assignment. One of his photos had captured a red flag on which the hammer and sickle was equated with a swastika. TASS refused to disseminate this particular picture, but somehow it reached agencies abroad anyway and was eventually offered to TASS for commercial distribution. Recently, on 23 August of this year, Langovits took photos of marathon runners in Vilnius, Lithuania, who were participating in a race dedicated to the memory of the Baltic Way. Lithuanian runners were also bearing the Estonian national flag. TV reporter Andres Raid spoke emotionally of his memories, noting that he's never subsequently seen a sparkle in the eyes of his countrymen quite as intense as back then on the day of the Baltic Way.
All of the material that was contributed in Tallinn will be made freely accessible at the www.europeana1989.eu website, which also sports an interactive feature that enables visitors to upload additional relevant material. The result will be an intriguing and multihued digital archive that users can delve into for educational purposes, for research, or simply out of curiosity and interest. The archive will continue to accept materials until 23 August 2014, when the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way is due to be celebrated.
Europeana and The Estonian National Library teamed up during the collection days with the Estonian Museum of History, which shared its existing materials and also gained new material during the Tallinn collection event. The UNITAS Foundation was also present, gathering life stories for its Kogu Me Lugu project.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took part of and contributed to Europeana 1989!
Europeana and 1989
Europeana is a digital library, museum and archive that has - since 2008 - been carrying out the ambition of Europe's memory institutions to make the rich and diverse heritage of this part of the world available to all who are interested. More than 2,200 memory institutions and organisations contribute to Europeana from 34 countries. Europeana already contains some 29 million digitised cultural objects, thanks to which it's possible to discover, search and explore the cultural and intellectual heritage of Europe.
Europeana gets end-users involved as well, providing them with the opportunity to digitise and share their stories within the context of campaigns. Europeana 1989 is one of these campaigns. Seven countries are involved in the project - Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany. The campaign began in June in Poland, extended through the Baltic States during August, and will move on in the future to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Germany.

Community Leaders Symposium-Ontario Provincial Police

The Ontario Provincial Police is one of North America’s largest deployed police services. For years to come, significant population growth in Ontario will continue through immigration. The Ontario Provincial Police is actively recruiting in diverse communities in order to sustain a workforce that will continue to represent all Ontarians.

The Ontario Provincial Police embraces the diverse multiculturalism that Canada has to offer and remains focused on building relationships.

We have organized a Community Leaders Symposium and in attendance will be Community Leaders from various cultural backgrounds. Our goal is to educate the Leaders on the Ontario Provincial Police recruitment process and engage in a question and answer session on best practices/strategies that the Ontario Provincial Police can take to attract members from their respective communities to apply for Police constable positions with the Ontario Provincial Police.

We respectfully request your presence at this event which is scheduled for Saturday September 21, 2013 at the North York Civic Center at 10:00 AM-3:00PM

We would appreciate your attendance and look forward to a favorable response. Should you know of community leaders in your respective communities that can help us during this symposium, please feel free to forward this invitation to them.

Please email Shernett.Williams@ontario.ca and include the number of people that will be attending, and the ethnic community you represent.

Regards,

Constable Shernett Williams

Uniform Recruitment

Ontario Provincial Police

If Christ is not Risen... (1 Cor. 14:15) Resurrection. Christ. Antichrist. PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL By Metropolitan Sotirios

“If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is in vain and our faith is also.” So, if Christ is not risen, then our message is without any meaning and our faith without any significance.

In these words, the Apostle Paul tells us plainly that the proof of the divinity of Christ is His resurrection. His Resurrection from the dead verifies His divinity.

Today, many people doubt the Resurrection of Christ. This is not only true of non-Christians, but even of some who call themselves “Christians”. These types of “Christians” speak of a “spiritual resurrection of Christ”. Without realizing it, some of them go further and say that Christ was simply an excellent philosopher. A wise teacher. A person filled with love, devoid of any hatred. With these words, though, they doubt the divinity of Jesus Christ.

St. John the Evangelist and Theologian is the only one who describes the Antichrist. If we study diligently that which St. John the Evangelist says about the Antichrist, one can come to a simple conclusion: the Antichrist is the one who denies the divinity of Christ. Whoever denies the Resurrection of Christ also denies the divinity of Christ. Therefore, this person is a type of ‘antichrist.’

My beloved Christians: The Resurrection of Christ is an historical event. Historians speak of the event. The Apostles also detail the event, saying, “We speak of what we saw. This is what we have heard. This is what we have examined. This is what we have lived.” The Apostles saw the Resurrected Christ. They heard Him. They conversed with Him. They examined Him. They ate with Him. They lived His Resurrection. They had no doubts of His Resurrection and His divinity. The Apostle Thomas proclaimed that he would never believe unless he placed his fingers in the print of the nails and his hand in the Lord’s side.  But once he saw and heard the Risen Lord speaking to him, he proclaimed  characteristically, “My Lord and my God.”

This same Resurrected Christ will come again. He will come in glory. He, who is the Lord of the Heavens and the earth. He will command all those who have died throughout the ages to rise from the dead. Finally, He will judge every person on their faith and their actions. After His Just Judgment, there will follow everlasting life in eternal glory or eternal punishment.

All of us – you who listen to me and I who speak to you – are Christians. We should be watchful, though, so we do not become willingly or unwillingly ‘antichrists’. With all our hearts, beloved Christians, let us believe in the divinity of Christ. In the Resurrection of Christ. In our resurrection on the Final Day. In eternal and everlasting life, participating in the unending glory and bliss of God.

Christ rose from the dead. With the Father and the Holy Spirit, they are the Triune God. God of true God. The Christ. The only Redeemer and Saviour of the world. There is no other. All the false prophets and pseudo-philosophers can say whatever they wish, but only Christ is the Truth.

May we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ - today and forever!  Uniting our voices with St. John Chrysostom, let us exclaim: “Christ is Risen, and Hades is overthrown! Christ is Risen, and demons are fallen! Christ is Risen and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen and life reigns! Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs. To Him is due all glory and the Kingdom unto the ages of ages.” Amen!

With fatherly love and blessings in the Risen Lord,

  

Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios

Head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Canada

Address by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Pope Francis

CNS photo/L'Osservatore Romano

Mar 21, 2013

ADDRESS

BY HIS ALL-HOLINESS

ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW

TO HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS OF ROME

(Formal Reception for World Religious Leaders -  Vatican, March 20, 2013)

Your Holiness,
In the name of the Lord of powers, we wholeheartedly congratulate You on the inspired election and deserved assumption of Your new high duties as First Bishop of the venerable Church of Senior Rome, defined by the primacy of love.
On this Throne, You succeed Pope Benedict XVI, who boldly retired for reasons of health and fatigue, a man distinguished for his meekness, theology and love. The task and responsibility before You are immense before both God and humankind. The unity of the Christian Churches is surely our foremost concern as one of the fundamental prerequisites for the credibility of our Christian witness in the eyes of those near and afar. In order to achieve this unity, we must continue the inaugurated theological dialogue so that we may jointly appreciate and approach the truth of faith, the experience of the saints, and the tradition of the first Christian millennium shared by East and West alike. It should be a dialogue of love and truth, in a spirit of humility, meekness, and honesty.
After all, the global economic crisis urgently mandates the coordination of our humanitarian action, in which You are well experienced as a result of Your long and fruitful ministry as a Good Samaritan in Latin America, where You pastorally witnessed – like so few others – the bitterness of human pain and suffering. Those who “have” must be motivated to offer – willingly and gladly – to those who “have not.” In this way, peace will be secured through justice as the sole universal request and the basic expectation of all nations. We must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, treat the suffering, and generally care for the needy so that we may hear from our Lord: “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” (Matt. 25.34)
The selection by Your beloved and esteemed Holiness of a lifestyle of simplicity has highlighted – and will continue to highlight – your priority for what is essential. This fills the hearts of everyone – Your faithful and all people in general – with a sense of hope. It is the hope that this priority will be applied broadly so that judgment and mercy, as the essence the law, may prevail in the Church.
Throughout the two-thousand-year history of the Church of Christ, certain truths of the sacred Gospel were misinterpreted by some Christian groups, resulting in secular misconceptions that have unfortunately spread in Christian circles today. Thus, the burden of our obligation and responsibility is to remind ourselves, each another, and the entire world that God became human in Jesus Christ in order that we may lead a divine way of life. Indeed, “God is the Lord and has appeared to us.” The one who created all things in the beginning, who guides and provides for all things, descended to the depths of death on the cross in order that, through His resurrection, He may demonstrate that “blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord,” and in His name alone, to serve His people, so that we may all be united, and that Christ may be all things and in all things,
This world is the domain where we realize this spiritual way of life, where we achieve our integration into the body of Christ, and where we are brought through Him into eternal life. The Church consecrates this earthly life, although it does not consummate its mission in this earthly life. We all realize and recognize this truth, which is why – as pastors and faithful alike – we travel this way of truth, acquiring the heavenly through the earthly.
As the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the worldwide Orthodox Church of Christ, we are certain that Your venerable and dearly beloved Holiness, who commences this historical journey with such favorable auspices as Bishop of Rome, will – together with all those who are willing and able – exhibit special concern for the reparation of secular trends so that humanity may be restored to its “original beauty” of love. We fervently pray with all Christians as well as with people throughout the world that Your Holiness will prove effective in this deeply responsible and highly onerous task.
May our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed and glorified. Thanks be to God, who in every period of time raises up worthy leaders, deserving of their calling to lead and guide His people, for the adoration of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

President Obama Designates Five New National Monuments

First State National Monument along the Delaware-

Pennsylvania border. (Photo: National Park Service)

National Monuments Will Generate Tourism and Economic Benefits for Local Economies, Honor African-American History, Mark Delaware’s first National Park Site

WASHINGTON, DC – President Obama today signed proclamations establishing five new national monuments, using his authority under the Antiquities Act, which celebrate our nation’s rich history and natural heritage. The monuments, located in Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio and Washington, help tell the story of significant people and extraordinary events in American history, as well as protect unique natural resources for the benefit of all Americans. The designations were made with bi-partisan support from congressional, state and local officials, local businesses and other stakeholders and are expected to promote economic growth in the local communities through tourism and outdoor recreation.

“These sites honor the pioneering heroes, spectacular landscapes and rich history that have shaped our extraordinary country,” said President Obama.  “By designating these national monuments today, we will ensure they will continue to inspire and be enjoyed by generations of Americans to come.”

“From the treasured landscapes of northern New Mexico and Washington, to the historic sites in Delaware, to the sites that show our nation’s path from Civil War to civil rights, these monuments help tell the rich and complex story of our nation’s history and natural beauty,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said. “There’s no doubt that these monuments will serve as economic engines for the local communities through tourism and outdoor recreation – supporting economic growth and creating jobs.”

According to the National Parks and Conservation Association study in 2006 each federal dollar invested in national parks generates at least four dollars of economic value to the public. National parks are responsible for $13.3 billion dollars of local, private-sector economic activity nationwide, supporting 267,000 private-sector jobs.  Outdoor recreation alone generates $646 billion in consumer spending and 6.1 million direct jobs in the United States each year, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.

The monuments are:

Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument in Ohio. The monument will preserve the home of Col. Charles Young (1864–1922), a distinguished officer in the United States Army who was the third African American to graduate from West Point and the first to achieve the rank of Colonel. Young also served as one of the early Army superintendents of Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, before the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916.  The national headquarters of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, of which Col. Young was a member, made the property available for acquisition by the federal government for the purpose of establishing the national monument commemorating Young’s life and accomplishments. The monument, located in Wilberforce, Ohio, will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

First State National Monument in Delaware. The monument will tell the story of the early Dutch, Swedish, Finnish and English settlement of the colony of Delaware, as well as Delaware’s role as the first state to ratify the Constitution.  The park is comprised of three historic areas related to Delaware’s rich history:  the Dover Green, the New Castle Court House complex (including the courthouse, Green and Sheriff’s House), and the Woodlawn property in the Brandywine Valley.  The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument in Maryland. The monument commemorates the life of the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad who was responsible for helping enslaved people escape from bondage to freedom.  The new national park, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, includes large sections of landscapes that are significant to Tubman’s early life in Dorchester County and evocative of her life as a slave and conductor of the Underground Railroad.  The park includes Stewart’s Canal, dug by hand by free and enslaved people between 1810 and the 1830s and where Tubman learned important outdoor skills when she worked in the nearby timbering operations with her father. Lands that are part of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, although part of the new national monument, will continue to be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument also includes the home site of Jacob Jackson, a free black man who used coded letters to help Tubman communicate with family and others.  The monument will also partner with the State of Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park Visitor Center when it opens in 2015.  The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.

Río Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico. Located northwest of Taos, the Río Grande del Norte contains stretches of the Río Grande Gorge and extinct volcanoes that rise from the Taos Plateau. The area is known for its spectacular landscapes and recreational opportunities – like rafting, fishing and hiking – and serves as important habitat for many birds and wildlife. The monument is also home to a dense collection of petroglyphs and extraordinary archaeological and cultural resources dating from the Archaic Period to the more recent passage of Hispanic settlers.  The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, which currently manages the more than 240,000 acres of the monument.

San Juan Islands National Monument in Washington. Home to bald eagles, orca whales, harbor seals and other rare species, the San Juan Islands is a chain of 450 islands, rocks and pinnacles.  Located in Washington State’s Puget Sound, the archipelago provides an opportunity for visitors, campers, kayakers and birdwatchers to experience the natural beauty of the undeveloped, rugged landscape. A number of historic lighthouses are located on the islands, as well as cultural resources and fossils dating back 12,000 years. The monument will be managed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management.

President Obama has previously designated four monuments using the Antiquities Act. These include the César E. Chávez National Monument in California, Chávez’ home and the headquarters of the United Farm Workers of America since the early 1970s when Chávez was its president; Fort Monroe National Monument in Virginia, a former Army post integral to the history of slavery, the Civil War, and the U.S. military; Fort Ord National Monument in California, a former military base that is a world-class destination for outdoor recreation; and Chimney Rock, which is located in the San Juan National Forest in southwestern Colorado and offers a spectacular landscape rich in history and Native American culture.

First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Colorado's Canyons of the Ancients.

The designation of the monuments builds on President Obama's America's Great Outdoors initiative, which fosters a 21st century approach to conservation that responds to the priorities of the American people.

Presidential Proclamation -- Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2013

GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY: A NATIONAL DAY OF CELEBRATION OF
GREEK AND AMERICAN DEMOCRACY, 2013

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Each year, America celebrates Greek Independence Day to strengthen the bonds between the birthplace of democracy and the world's oldest republic. We recognize the enduring contributions of Greek Americans, woven into the fabric of our national life. And we reflect on the ancient Hellenic principles that inspired our Founders to vest the powers of government in the hands of the people.
In both America and Greece, we are inheritors to great republics, entrusted to safeguard the ideals that make representative government work. Our peoples have learned that democracy flourishes when we respect our differences, hold fast to the principles that unite us, and move forward with common purpose. It is a legacy lived by generations of Greek Americans, who for centuries have helped write proud chapters in our country's history and continue to enrich the character of our Nation.
Today, we congratulate Greece, a valued NATO ally, as it commemorates the 192nd anniversary of its independence, and we pledge our continued solidarity as the country works to rebuild its economy. In the face of hardship, America stands with the people of Greece, confident they can meet the challenges of the 21st century while upholding their ancient ideals.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2013, as Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Mike Manatos: The Value of the Annual White House Meeting for Greek Independence Day — An Insider’s View on the 26th Anniversary

HALC is pleased to feature a piece by Mike Manatos, Senior Vice President of Washington D.C. based Manatos & Manatos, and Executive Director of the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes
One of the most difficult things in the world to accomplish is securing a meeting withthe world’s most powerful person, the President of the United States.  It is also extremely difficult to receive an invitation to the ceremonies thatsurround some meetings.  Thousands of countries, companies and other organizations pay well over a million dollars a year trying to cultivate the relationships necessary to do so, yet are unsuccessful.
The24-hour-a-day job of the President leaves little room for such meetings. Presidents barely have time to meet with even large groupings of important people such as: governors, mayors; the energy industry, communications industry, high tech industry, healthcare industry, transportation industry and many other crucial industries; women’s groups, minority groups, ethnic groups, labor unions, religious leaders, disabled groups, university presidents and many more.
Even more rarely will a President consider meeting with one member of a category of important people, such as one specific ethnic group.  For Irish-Americans, who make up one out of every 10 Americans, Presidents make an exception and host an annual event to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
How then is it possible to get five Presidents to take the time from their busy schedules to meet every year for 26 years with an ethnic group that accounts for only one out of every 300 Americans and ranks 33rd among nationalities — we Greek-Americans?  Only the Irish-Americans and Greek-Americans get this honor.  How is our small group able to get unfiltered information about issues dear to our hearts to the ear of the world’s most important policymaker and his top advisors?
The answer is: because of the efforts of wonderful, self-sacrificing Hellenes across the country who have worked closely with us at the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.  Over all the years, these Hellenes have contributed many millions of dollars, as well as millions of dollars worth of professional expertise and daily professional services to help build a base that enables this annual White House Presidential meeting.  This base was also instrumental to Cyprus’ accession to the European Union and improvements in Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s religious freedom.
So, of the one million plus Hellenes in America, who does the White House invite to participate in this event with the President?  They are some of the self-sacrificing Hellenes mentioned above joined by those Hellenes who have excelled in all parts of American society.  They are invited to enjoy the gift this country has afforded us through these White House meetings. However, the greatest reward is seeing how a citizen’s involvement with the Coordinated Effort and the Archdiocese translates into America benefiting from better policy toward Hellenic and Orthodox matters.  We welcome the involvement of other self-sacrificing Hellenes who share our goals.