What the Secretary Said--John Kerry in Vilnius

Remarks

John Kerry
Secretary of State

U.S. Embassy Vilnius

Vilnius, Lithuania

September 7, 2013

What has taken place here in 20 years plus one is really remarkable, and I am told that back in 1992 when we were first setting up shop here after the end of the Soviet Union, they had to bring truckloads of cash down from Finland in order to be able to just pay people because there weren’t even banks. It just wasn’t even functional. And so now, you all have this incredible burgeoning economy. We have – we, the United States, and Lithuania--have a remarkable relationship which is built partly on security, partly on economics, partly on democracy, on hopes about the future.

And what really excites me is what’s happening with respect to the energy diversification, climate change efforts, the efforts to create the European Eastern Partnership. All of these things are going to guarantee that not only will this relationship stay strong and flourish, but as we go forward, the economy here is going to get stronger, the democracy here will become more entrenched, and this will become really one of the great models for transformation out of a period of just kind of crushing restraint and oppression, and I don’t even want to go back to some of the stories. In fact, as I drove up here, the Ambassador pointed out what is now a Holocaust museum that used to be a place where the KGB used to take people and terrible, terrible things went on.

So that’s the transformation. All of you are part of this amazing adventure we get to be part of. I get to be the Secretary and parachute in like this for a few hours, and I know that these visits aren’t simple and a lot of work goes into them. I also have learned that the minute I get out of here, there’s a pretty good wheels-up party – (laughter) – which I never get to share in. But I just want to say thank you to you on behalf of America, on behalf of the President, and all of us who are privileged to work for our fellow citizens. There honestly is no more rewarding kind of work.

For those of you in the consular division, you’re the face of America. Somebody walks in and they talk to you and you have an interview and they need to get a visa, and they want to either emigrate or they want to just visit or be a student and go over and study or have an opportunity to sort of touch our values and our dreams, that’s a big deal. For many of you, you may be the only American people we’ll ever see. And whether you’re a civil servant or a Foreign Service officer, you get to come to work every day and build a bridge, build a relationship, reach out to people with a set of values that we all believe in, which historically have made a huge difference to people all over the world.

That is good work. That’s a great, great job. I wish it was better paying for everybody. It’s not what we all get into this for. We’re in it because we love what we do, we love the opportunity to change people’s lives, we love the opportunity to bring America to other parts of the world, and we love to build the friendships and the relationships that go with it. And they last a lifetime and they’re worth every moment of it.

In tribute to that, the Ambassador, Deborah, was just in Afghanistan, and we’re pleased that we have a special working relationship here in Lithuania for a small country – I think it was the smallest country leadership of the PRT – and working with us and others – Georgians, I think, and some others in there – we had this tremendous PRT effort. And just the other day – we’ve now transferred that PRT, as we are now transferring and transitioning out of Afghanistan – the PRT commander honored us, all of us, and particularly the Ambassador by giving to her the flag that was flying there.

It says “The USA National Flag was waving over Forward Operating Base Shield of the Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The hard work, dedication, and actions of the USA representatives directly supported and assisted the PRT to reach the goals and objectives in support of the ISAF mission,” and that’s dated 25 August 2013. Folks, that belongs to all of you, to this Embassy, to our efforts jointly, and it’s a huge statement about this wonderful relationship and participation we have.

Beer Ambassador? Not Quite, but a Great Time Was Had by All

When Don Russell, a nationally know beer columnist from Philadelphia, agreed to come to Lithuania to explore local microbrews and share the experience of American brewers, he probably didn't know his report of the trip would end up in Washington Post. 

But it did. Whether it was the great variety of Lithuanian micro- and nano-brews, or the great interest in Don's experience as a blogger and writer, or the beatiful summer day Don spent at the Pakruojis Beer Festival--there was plenty to write home about. Here some highlights Don especially enjoyed:

In Vilnius, members of the local chapter of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, the worldwide gastronomic society, agreed that the Philly beers served with a gourmet menu were at least as good as wine. So good, in fact, it took them just three hours to nearly polish off a supply of Yards and Weyerbacher that was supposed to last a full week.

At a beer festival in Pakruojis, a small town not far from the Latvian border, I was introduced to the mayor as "Donas Russellas," and the organizers let me help tap the first keg.

In a taping of a popular Lithuanian cooking show, "Virtuves Mitu Griovejai", I gobbled down an excellent Asian-spiced salmon dish that the hosts had simmered in +Yards Brewing Co. George Washington's Tavern Porter. 

At the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius, I briefed Lithuanian journalists and bloggers on the growing American microbrewery scene. Then I presented the deputy chief of mission with a +Philly.com Beer Week T-shirt, which he promptly wore at the Pakruojis festival, where we greeted more than 4,000 attendees.

At a farmhouse brewery in Joniškelis, a village 175 kilometers north of Vilnius, I was smothered in kisses by a brewer's wife (or cousin or fiancée - it was kind of lost in translation). Apparently"Virtuves Mitu Griovejai" is her favorite TV show.

"John Kerry, eat your heart out," wrote Don in his column about the trip. When you watch this video, you'll probably agree. 

A Fulbrighter Learns Lithuania--and Its Very Old, Very Hard Language

Today's blog post is by another guest writer -- Christine Beresniova, Fulbright Grantee to Lithuania in 2011-2012. 

I have a very special relationship with Lithuania because I am married to a Lithuanian. So when I was awarded a Fulbright grant in 2011 to spend 9 months doing dissertation research there, many people thought that I would have an easy time of things. People assumed that because I could already limp along in the language, and I knew what I was getting into when someone uttered the words "Lithuanian winter” that I was merely going on some kind of extended vacation.

This was hardly true. My husband was not going with me nor was I going to be spending 9 months lazing about on my mother-in-law's sofa. Instead, I was going to have to carve out my own research path and make my own way in a world that neither knew me nor was invested in my success. Yes, I could look forward to a lovely Sunday dinner of buttery cauliflower, lumpy potato dumplings (cepelinai), and freshly made poppyseed cake every week, but my in-laws could not help me build trust with people, nor could they make the subject I was studying less controversial in Lithuania's political landscape. Doing anthropologic fieldwork on how post-Soviet teachers are trained to teach the Holocaust after 60 years of Soviet-occupied silence on the matter was going to be a journey I had to undertake almost entirely on my own.

A Fulbrighter's Love Affair with Old-Town Vilnius

Another installment today from Dr. Petrie, Associate Professor and English Department Chair at Colorado Christian University, who was a Fulbright grantee to Lithuania in 2006.

Vilnius has long been a cosmopolitan city with many cultures and ethnicities, and the Old-Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since I was teaching at the University there, it made sense for us to live in the center of Old-Town Vilnius, but our location offered much more than convenience.  The energetic mish-mash of cultures, shops, entertainment, and dining experiences there was unique and unforgettable.  With every day that passed, our street, Totoriu Gatve, named in reference to the fact that it was, long ago, the Tatar quarter of the city (just as Vokieciu Gatve means “German Street” for the same reason) fascinated me more and more. Across the street from our flat was an antique shop, run by an antique lady who lived in the flat above it and featured lace curtains in all her windows, each of a different pattern. 

Directly next to her lies the Transylvania, a pub which advertises +Guinness GB and seemed to be very popular with motorcyclists and British tourists. My husband still claims that you haven't lived until you've seen a tipsy Brit singing Diana Ross's "Stop in the Name of Love" to a passing Taxi in Lithuania. When the Scots were in town for the Lithuania/Scotland football match, we heard a lot of "Auld Lang Syne" coming from there, and our street was flooded by men in kilts. The pub and the antique shop seemed to exist in a semi-armed detente, in which the proprietor of the shop shook her head and clicked her tongue out the window, and the motorcyclists made their bikes backfire in response.

Tubas, Nigerian drama, and Lithuanian Identity: Teaching Literature as a Fulbright Scholar

Today's guest-blogger is Dr. Windy Counsell Petrie, Associate Professor and English Department Chair at Colorado Christian University, who was a Fulbright grantee to Lithuania in 2006. During her time in Lithuania, Dr. Petrie lectured at several Universities on representations of exile in nineteenth- and twentieth-century World Literature as well as the role of female and African American authors in American literary history. Here are her reflections on making the transition from an American University to a Lithuanian one.

On the first day of school at Vilnius University, where I was a visiting scholar, I walked down to campus and witnessed the opening ceremonies for the school year, which occur in the first of many lovely courtyards of the University. Students, spectators, and  tourists watched and listened as the school orchestra played the National Anthem and the University song, children danced in traditional folk costume, and the administration and faculty filed out of the main building onto a large adjoining platform. Speeches were made, the national and University flags raised, and I found it quite moving.  Although I think many Americans would find it quaint to spend the first day of school in festivities, with a band in the background, instead of getting right down to business, I think there’s a certain wisdom to this tradition. After all, any new chance to learn should be celebrated, with tubas if necessary.  

Reflections of a Fulbright Artist

Today's guest blogger is Patrick Suzeau, associate professor of Dance at the University of Kansas, who spent a semester in Vilnius as a Fulbright scholar in 2007. He was introduced to the Fulbright program by another Fulbright senior scholar, Linda Maxey, who suggested that Patrick and his wife Muriel, also a professor of dance at the University of Kansas, go to Lithuania to offer a different and fresh artistic perspective.

We first came to Vilnius for about three weeks in 2004, around Thanksgiving and we had a superb experience. We enjoyed watching and giving classes at the Lithuanian Academy and the National Ballet School. Muriel taught contemporary dance classes that were very well received; contemporary dance technique was a relatively new arrival to Eastern Europe.  Meanwhile I was asked to teach ballet classes. I thought that it was odd that they would be interested in ballet classes considering that they have a strong tradition in Russian ballet. It became clear to me why when I asked them to execute a certain step, which they did superbly. However, they did it as it is done in Russia.  American ballet has evolved in different directions. That is when I realized why these senior teachers were watching my classes. As a New York City-trained dancer, my background is eclectic, something typical of American artists who have been exposed to diverse techniques and approaches. In addition, as a contemporary choreographer I favor unconventional spatial and rhythmic patterns, something that seemed to have been new and of interest to Lithuanian ballet teachers.

Iki pasimatymo Lietuva!

Sergeant Mario Stoke, Pol/Econ intern Jon Kidd, and myself at the UNESCO Building

It is with great sadness that I must say goodbye to Lithuania. My experience working here at Embassy Vilnius has been absolutely incredible. Especially working in the Public Affairs Section, I had the opportunity to work on important projects and meet some fantastic people. I cannot thank everyone here enough for the incredible guidance and mentorship that they have offered me. The experiences that I have had here will be hard for other posts to live up to. 

Meeting Lithuanians at local gatherings. 

Experiences of a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow

Before I leave to go back to the States, I wanted to share with all the readers the experiences I have had as a Pickering fellow. The end of my time here in Vilnius also takes me from being a Pickering Fellow to a Pickering Alumni, as it is the final requirement of my contract with the foundation. 

To begin with, The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Programs provide funding to participants as they prepare academically and professionally to enter the United States Department of State Foreign Service. Women, members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and students with financial need are encouraged to apply. 

2011 GFAF Esther Joe and FAF Kimberly Everett completed their internships in Kuwait City, Kuwait. They had the opportunity to be site officers for Secretary Kerry's visit and to assist with preparations for the Secretary's high-level meetings at the Bayan Palace and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I started to prepare my application for the Fellowship in September of my senior year in college, and the application was due in February. I worked closely with the writing center, our Director of Scholarships, and the Ambassador in Residence at the University of Central Florida. After writing twenty-seven drafts of my personal statement, I finally turned in the application. I was then selected to continue the process through a writing test in which you are given two hypothetical situations or issues and  you must write about them within a certain amount of time while being supervised via Skype. After I passed this test, I was invited to Washington, D.C. to be interviewed... along with 40 other people... for 20 positions. I practiced with UCF doing mock interviews before flying out to the nation's capital. All the people I met there were incredibly impressive and qualified. I was nervous, but prepared, as I sat in a closed room in front of two professors and an Ambassador, being grilled on what the Pickering Fellowship would mean to me. A month later I was notified that I was selected as a Pickering Fellow!

Lithuanian Beer and Bread--in San Francisco!

This week, we have asked Morgan Kulla, a retired Foreign Service Officer who served in Vilnius in 2010 and now lives in San Francisco, to share with us the inside scoop on Lithuanian food and beer in California. It's not a coincidence that we want to talk about beer: Don Russell aka Joe Sixpack, an award-winning beer writer, will be traveling Lithuania and advancing beer diplomacy this week -- but that, of course, is a completely separate story. 

Morgan Kulla:
I first came to Lithuania in 2010 for a short assignment in the Public Affairs Section at the Embassy.  In addition to everything else, I loved the bread and the beer.  When I went home to San Francisco, missing all things Lithuanian, imagine my surprise to find a selection of Lithuanian breads and several types of Lithuanian beer – all within blocks of my house! I have introduced many friends to my favorite Lithuanian bread sold here: Vilnius Amber Rye.

Baltic Pride and Prejudice

This last Saturday, July 27th, was the Baltic Pride Parade here in Vilnius organized by the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL). The parade was to bring together people from all three of the Baltic countries - Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia - to celebrate the LGBT community and to stand for equal rights for all. 

I was very excited to march in this parade, as someone who fully supports the LGBT movement and as an American who believes in human rights for all people. I have had much experience with Pride Parades, however this one I knew would be different. The sentiments are not as progressive as in my own country, and I knew that the threat of some sort of public disorder was quite real. Regardless, I prepared myself all week, meeting the LGBT community here and getting to know them personally. I attended Stuart Milk's roundtable and placard making session, and assisted the all-girl pop-rock band, BETTY, since Wednesday. I felt empowered, ready, hopeful! And if I could say one thing, its that despite the hatred seen on Saturday, I still felt that way all day and long after it. 

BETTY tours Lithuania!

I am very excited to share with Lithuania that the band BETTY is in Lithuania to play two concerts and to do a workshop on empowering girls and women. BETTY, an all-girl pop-rock band, is coming on July 24-29, and yes, they'll be here for Baltic Pride week.

On the 25th, BETTY will offer the workshop titled "Everybody is Somebody!" This is an inspirational workshop on empowering women and girls. Enjoy great music followed by a talk on the subject and an open discussion with the band. You can participate and join in this workshop this day at Vilnius Chamber Theater located at Konstitucijos pr.23, Korp. B. 

On the 26th you can catch BETTY performing at SOHO nightclub. The doors to this show will open at 21:00, the show will begin at 22:00, and will end until 23:00. Please feel free to stay after the concert to meet with BETTY, get an autograph, and take a picture with the band!

Finally BETTY will arrive in Palanga on July 28th. They will play at Club Ramybe The show will start at 18:00 and continue until 19:30. 

This American band defends the rights of women and spreads the message of tolerance in different social circles. They have also participated in hundreds of charitable events for the fight against poverty. The group has won two Emmys and two BMI awards. 

We are so excited to bring BETTY to Lithuania to spread the message of tolerance to all! We hope to see you at the shows and workshops to commemorate the week of Baltic Pride!

Fulbright Alumna Laima Vince: Why I Wrote The Interpreter (Vertejas)

The Post today is by guest-blogger, Laima Vince, author of the play The Interpreter (Vertejas) that will be performed in Vilnius, during the Baltic Pride Week on July 27th and 28th. 

Laima Vince is a writer, poet, and literary translator. Twenty years after the independence movement began, Laima Vince returned to Vilnius as a Fulbright lecturer to document life in Lithuania's fledgling democracy. Over the past four years Laima has traveled around Lithuania's provinces and cities collecting oral histories. She has spoken with postwar partisan fighters; liaison women; Holocaust survivors; exiles to Siberia; German women exiled to Tajikistan; village verbal charmers and healers; young women who have been victims of human trafficking and the social workers who work towards their recovery in underground shelters; Chechen war refugees; gypsies; and gays and lesbians who are fighting for recognition and legal rights in Lithuanian society. 

When people see or read The Interpreter many assume I am gay or bisexual. Why else would a woman write a play with two gay men in relationship as the main characters? And then, I’ve been attacked by gay friends who are outraged that I—a heterosexual woman and the mother of three children, and living a conventional lifestyle—could presume to know what it feels like to be in a homosexual relationship or to suffer prejudice or experience a hate crime because of my sexual orientation. My reply is that there are two human qualities that enable us to imagine ourselves in the lives of others: empathy and the power of the imagination.

A Young Lithuanian Leader attends the XIV World Lithuanian Youth Congress

This week's guest blogger, Aiste Zalepuga, attended the World Lithuanian Youth Congress which took place on July 1-14. Below is her assessment of the Congress meeting and short interviews given by prominent leaders who were also in attendance. 

Lithuanian youth from around the world gathered in the United Kingdom for the XIV World Lithuanian Youth Congress. Delegates from across the globe – including 11 representatives from the USA – came together to elect a new World Lithuanian Youth Association(PLJS) governing board that will execute projects proposed during the congress meetings.   

PLJS was founded in 1972 and held its first World Lithuanian Youth Congress that year. Members focused on the organization’s approach to resisting the Soviet occupation and unifying Lithuanians across the world.

Since then PLJS has grown to include 40 chapters.The World Lithuanian Youth Association attracts Lithuanians ages 16-35 and addresses issues relating to culture and education. PLJS maintains relations with governmental institutions and youth organizations. 

A Cultural Celebration! The Opening of the World Transparency International Summer School.

On July 8th, 2013, I had the opportunity to accompany our Assistant Public Affairs Officer to the British Embassy. We travelled for APAO Nina Murray to make remarks at the opening of the World Transparency International Summer School. This school is a week-long program for young people to make them aware of the causes and manifestations of corruption. There were 140 participants from over 60 countries!

A Weekend in Klaipėda

Due to the 4th of July holiday; the Embassy was closed last Thursday. The roommates and I decided to take advantage of the long weekend so that we may make a trip to the much-talked-about Klaipėda. Since we arrived, everyone has been telling us to visit this city and we were finally going to do it! We rented a flat on Tiltu Street, the main strip in Old Town. Wednesday evening we packed all our things and got on the bus to Klaipėda! 

Virtual Student Foreign Service: Helping The US Embassy from Abroad!

I would like to take a moment to share with you our Virtual Student Foreign Service. VSFS is the U.S. Department of State’s virtual eInternship program for U.S. citizen college students to contribute to the work carried out by the State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, Broadcasting Board of Governors, and the Departments of Commerce and Agriculture.  By committing ten hours per week from September through April, selected eInterns will play an important role in advancing the federal government’s reach in diplomacy, development, journalism, trade, and agriculture initiatives, and without the need for a security clearance. 

July 4th Reception and Celebration!

On the 26th of June, the US Embassy hosted the annual July 4th Reception and Celebration at the Ambassador's home. The preparations for the event took weeks and the team that organized it did an incredible job. It began with the set-up and was followed by the receiving of guests. 

As the guests began to trickle in, they were invited to grab food or a drink before going into the Ambassador's house to be greeted by her. Not only was the Ambassador there to welcome guests, but so too was our Deputy Chief of Mission and our Defense Attaché.

Many important people came through to welcome the Ambassador and her team. As part of my job, I was lucky enough to stand behind the Ambassador to relieve her hands of any gifts that she might receive so that she may continue shaking hands. Being in this position, I was able to see each guest as they came through and give them each a smile.

After the guests were all welcomed, the Ambassador gave a speech to welcome the Lithuanian guests and their family and friends to the reception. We watched at our Marines presented the American colors before listening to the Lithuanian anthem and then the American Star Spangled Banner.

As the party continued, we were able to mingle with guests and I was incredibly grateful to meet former President Adamkus. We talked about his life in America, the Foreign Service career, and some defense topics. It was a great honor for me to meet President Adamkus during this event, who is very nice and open to meeting all Embassy staff and hearing their stories. Not only is he admirable, but he is very friendly as well!

After the party was completed, all Embassy staff pitched in to clean up the Ambassador's home before enjoying burgers and chips for a very...very late lunch. It was great to be able to spend an hour with my coworkers enjoying the warm Lithuanian day and American style burgers. It was a great starter to celebrating the actual 4th of July and the birth of our great country!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Prior to my travels to Lithuania, I did as all travelers do: read books about the country. While perusing the my traveler’s guides, I took note of the events that would happen during my summer here. Joninės seemed like the most fun event that falls on a day that teeters between Paganism and Catholicism. On the one hand, it is also known as John's Day, as in Saint John, and we celebrate all those who are named John on this name day. On the other hand, it is also known as the Midsummer, and a large festival is held at Kernavė, an ancient settlement site, to celebrate the summer solstice. 

  

As one of our roommates is named Jon, we celebrated him throughout the day. All of us soon piled into a car and took off for Kernavė to see the big festival. I expected to see fires and dancing, but perhaps of only a hundred people or so. I was so wrong!

Jousting, Castles, and Still Waters. Only in Trakai!

Over the weekend I went to the Trakai Medieval Festival with my roommates, Kaitlin and Jonathan, and one of our Marines here, Sergeant Mario Stokes. We heard about this festival weeks before and it was something we were looking forward to for a while. We arrived at the bus station and ordered our tickets. Twenty minutes later we were in Trakai. We had to laugh as we paid 1LT to use the bathroom, something we have never seen in America. We stopped to look at a map to find out where to go next, but instead made the right decision to just follow the huge crowds of people walking up one particular street. We were making our way to the castle!

Panevėžys, Cicinskas, and Opening the Pažink Ameriką

On Wednesday, June 12, I travelled with my colleagues to Panevėžys. Our purpose for this trip was to meet with members of the Alumni association as well as to present at the opening of Pažink Ameriką, or Discover America. The terminal is a touch screen computer, pre-loaded with information about U.S. geography, history and culture, designed to appeal to young audiences.  One of the terminals is currently in Panorama shopping center in Vilnius, another one is now in Utena Public Library, and this one was installed in Panevėžys, at the Kniaudišku street branch of the city library.  

Standing in front of the new terminal on the day of our opening.

Once we got to Panevėžys, we were able to meet with members of our Alumni Association to discuss English teaching methods and camps. We met with several educators ranging from those who teach very young students to those who teach graduate-level classes. We discussed their ideas of helpful methods of teaching English, what they may be lacking, and what students and teachers could benefit from. There was a consensus that both students and teachers alike need a more active surrounding of English speakers, and to be forced to have to use the language. We discussed Fulbright scholars from America and their ability to assist in this, as well as Fulbright opportunities for Lithuanians to travel to the United States.