On 4 August 2025. the National History Museum of Latvia will host the launch of the 4th Forum of Latvian Professionals Working for International Organisations, to be opened by an address from the Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže.
The forum aims to strengthen the connection between Latvian professionals working in international organisations and Latvia, to foster the sharing of experience, and to facilitate the representation of Latvia’s national interests in international environment.
The thematic areas of this year’s forum are the application of international experience to modern public governance, security and societal resilience, Latvia’s membership of the United Nations Security Council, matters of current importance for the EU, and the international contribution and challenges of civil society organizations (NGOs).
More than 100 professionals of Latvian descent employed at the United Nations, institutions of the European Union, NATO, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, and other international bodies have applied for participation.
Introductory remarks for the event will be delivered by its organizer, Ambassador-at-Large for Diaspora Affairs, Zanda Grauze.
At the first panel discussion, “Mobilising international experience for modern public governance in Latvia”, their perspectives will be shared by the Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, the Secretary-General of the European Commission, Ilze Juhansone, the Director of the State Chancellery, Raivis Kronbergs, and the Senior Policy Advisor at the OECD, Mārtiņš Krieviņš. The discussion will be moderated by Elīna Pinto from the association, Economic Cooperation and Investments for Latvia (#esiLV).
The second panel discussion, “Security and Defence, Social Cohesion and Resilience”, will feature the participation of the representative of the NATO International Staff, Brigadier General Ilmārs Atis Lejiņš, the Advisor to the President on National Security Issues, Ilze Milta, the Head of the Latvian Federation of Security and Defense Industries. Elīna Egle, and the Head of the University of Latvia Livonian Institute, representative of Latvia at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Valts Ernštreits. The exchange will be moderated by the Advisor to the Foreign Minister on Security and Societal Resilience, Tomass Pildegovičs.
The forum will then continue on the premises of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where three discussions are to be held. The discussion on “Latvia’s benefits from membership in the UN Security Council”, featuring the Judge of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Ineta Ziemele, the Chair of the UN Commission on International Law, Mārtiņš Paparinskis, and the Latvian Youth Delegate to the UN, Nikola Kleinberga, will be moderated by Katrīna Kaktiņa-Kalniņa, Director of the Department of International Organisations and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The panel titled “Current EU Issues” will bring together experts working in the European Commission and the European External Action Service, including Žaneta Vegnere, Eduards Stiprais and Māra Šteinberga, and it will be moderated by the Director of the Department of EU Coordination and Policies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reinis Brusbārdis.
The discussion on “International Contribution and Challenges of Civil Society Organizations” will feature the founder of the International NGO Day, Mārcis Liors Skadmanis, the Director of the Latvian Platform for Development Cooperation, Inese Vaivare, and the Chair of the Board of the With World Experience in Latvia association, Māra Mc Laughlin-Taylor. This session will be moderated by the Head of the Communications at the Nobel Women's Initiative, Daina Ruduša.
Concluding remarks for the forum will be delivered by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Artjoms Uršuļskis.
The first part of the forum held at the National History Museum of Latvia will be live-streamed on the websites and social media of the State Chancellery and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Background information
Every year since 2022, the Forum of Latvian Professionals Working for International Organizations has been bringing together Latvian professionals with experience in international organizations to strengthen cooperation with Latvia, promote the exchange of experience, and build a sustainable dialogue between diaspora experts and public administration. In 2025, the forum will be held for the fourth time. The forum is organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Chancery of the President of Latvia, the State Chancellery, and an association #esiLV (Economic Cooperation and Investment for Latvia).
For the attention of the media
Members of the media will have the opportunity to be present at panel discussions at the National History Museum of Latvia.
Please apply by 15:00 on 1 August via e-mail: media@mfa.gov.lv
To request individual interviews, send an e-mail to the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Diāna Eglīte, diana.eglite@mfa.gov.lv.