The Estonian American National Council (EANC) is hosting an informative day of speakers and panelists in San Francisco on November 5, 2016. EANC council members and fellow Estonian-Americans from across the U.S. will celebrate Estonian-Americans for their service and excellence, explore topics of interest and urgency, share EANC’s work with west coast Estonian-Americans, and engage new members.
On Saturday, November 5, we invite you to participate in our public sessions. We welcome plenary session speaker Hon. James D. Melville, U.S. Ambassador to Estonia and evening keynote speaker Hon. Marina Kaljurand. The day will also include three panel sessions to explore topics such as transatlantic security, U.S.-Estonia relations, engaging with Estonian-American history, and EANC’s strategic future.
Our afternoon panel on transatlantic security and U.S.-Estonian relations will address today’s urgent security issues, including Russia’s information war and the importance of NATO. Speakers will be Ambassador Kurt Volker, former U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO; Ambassador Eerik Marmei, current Estonian ambassador to the U.S.; Marcus Kolga, expert on regional European and Russian issues; and Karl Altau, Managing Director of JBANC. The panel will be moderated by Karin Shuey, EANC’s Washington Director.
Our morning panel, Engaging with Our History, will examine the importance of preserving and passing on our history through a variety of means, including museums, newspapers, archives, and libraries. Our third panel will look at challenges and strategies for EANC and other Estonian-American organizations today.
A luncheon with local Estonian entrepreneurs and investors, hosted by Enterprise Estonia, Silicon Valley, will give participants an opportunity to hear from voices in this exciting sector. Priit Vesilind retired National Geographic senior editor, will conduct a special presentation of EANC’s newly published history, Estonians in America, 1945-1995: Exiles in a Land of Promise.
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