On 17 August 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a Forum of Professionals Working for International Organisations. The event brought together more than 80 experts employed at various international organisations, including NATO, the United Nations, the OECD, the World Health Organisation (WHO), the European Parliament, and the European Commission.
The forum was opened by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, who underlined that it was for the first time that the event had convened so many Latvian professionals working in international entities and agencies. A part of those present are experts well-known in Latvia. At the same time, there are also many promising first encounters. This is the way to expand the circle of professionals who are prepared to join the cooperation network, the Parliamentary Secretary said.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica underlined that to meet Latvia’s professionals working for international organisations in various countries worldwide had long been an objective with a focus on establishing a targeted and structured cooperation for knowledge sharing and contacts so as to promote Latvia’s interests and provide those representing Latvia with support they may need in their career path.
Work in the forum featured sessions and round table discussions. The first round table addressed foreign affairs, defence and resilience to crisis, the third – economy, finance and wellbeing, while the third discussion focused on the rule of law, governance, and society. Taking part in the discussions were high-level experts from various organisations, including Baiba Braže, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy; Ilze Juhansone, Secretary-General of the European Commission; Žaneta Vegnere, Deputy Head of Cabinet to Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis; and Dr Mārtiņš Paparinskis, Member of the International Law Commission, Reader in Public International Law at University College London. Participants also included the Ambassadors of Latvia to international organisations Andrejs Pildegovičs, Bahtijors Hasans and Katrīna Kaktiņa, as well as Elita Gavele, Ambassador-at-Large for the Diaspora.
The opening of the event and two working sessions were streamed online through the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, its Facebook and Twitter accounts, and Diaspora TV Facebook account.
The forum included a presentation of the latest study by the Centre for Diaspora and Migration Research of the University of Latvia (LU DMPC), “Involvement of Latvia’s professionals in diaspora diplomacy and the potential of network diplomacy”. Baiba Bela, co-author of the study and Associated Professor at the University of Latvia, underlined that successful cooperation and involvement in the diaspora diplomacy was conditional on systematic work. It was noted that professionals working for international organisations could contribute significantly not only to public administration but also to other sectors and areas, for instance, education and research.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica pointed out that the study was valuable and had revealed fruitful findings. The researchers have succeeded in reaching out, she said, to 152 professionals from Latvia now working in international organisations, and 87% of them have welcomed the initiative while indicating their interest in cooperating with representatives from Latvia in the future. In addition, three fourths of the respondents have named the opportunity to offer help and to support Latvia’s development as their main motivation and a benefit for society, the Parliamentary Secretary observed.
The forums aims at strengthening informal cooperation between professionals working in Latvia and for international organisations, as well as exchanging views on priorities for Latvia’s development and foreign policy. The networking of the diaspora professionals is an essential element of building the image of the country; therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as early as in 2007, organised the first conference on the opportunities offered to Latvia by international organisations.
The forum has been organised by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the World Federation of Free Latvians, the Chancery of the President of Latvia, the State Chancellery, and an association, Economic Cooperation and Investments for Latvia (#esiLV). Accordingly, Andris Teikmanis, Head of the President’s Chancery, Jānis Citskovskis, Head of the State Chancellery, and Cofounder and Board Member of #esiLV, Elīna Pinto, took part in the opening session as the organisers’ representatives.
The concluding session of the forum, which is taking place in Riga Castle on an invitation from the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, is expected to set out priorities and points of reference for further work.