Annual Review — 2006
School Improvement Project
Under the leadership of Pēteris Zariņš and Edīte Irbe, with the assistance of Arnis Sprancmanis as the project’s treasurer, and with your contributions and help, we are continuing to provide computers and educational materials to schools in Latvia.
In 2006 the school improvement project received $4,400 in donations. It has awarded a total of $5,800 for the support of Menģeles School (Ogre Region), Virgas School (Liepāja Region), Skujenes School (Cēsis Region) and Pilskalnes School (Aizkraukle Region). We shipped to the Strazdmuižas School for the Blind five Braille printers.
In 1934 the President of Latvia Kārlis Ulmanis gave a now famous speech urging the population to give books to the local schools. “Latvia belongs to our youth, they are as good and often better than we, our job is to show them the way,” said the President. What followed was a major institution in Latvia, whereby every January people were requested to donate books to their schools.
Let us follow this old Latvian tradition! The youth of today’s Latvia will determine the future of the country. Let us help them prepare for the future.
We again encourage you to send a donation to a school in Latvia through TILTS. Choose a school that has a special significance to you – maybe the school you or your parents or grandparents attended. We will determine the school’s needs, take care of all formalities and use your contribution according to your instructions.
The funding allocated by the Latvian government and local municipalities does not meet all needs of the schools, and lately there has been a specific need for books. The schools need also funds for student activities and cultural events. Since schools in Latvia are small in relation to the size of schools in America, a relatively modest contribution can provide a significant impact on the school’s budget.
Alternatively, add $50 (or more) to your annual TILTS
contribution for our general school support budget. Donations in USA are tax-deductible. We will let you know how your
gift was used. If you would like to
contribute, please contact
During the lifetime of
this program, TILTS has supplied over 500 computers and other teaching
materials to over 100 schools in Latvia and six computers to Latvian
schools in Siberia. A troop from the National Theatre presented the play “Zilā”
(The Blue One) by Gunārs Priede on a tour of 15 cities. The tour
started September 6 in Portland on the West Coast, covered cities in the
Midwest and East Coast, including Toronto, and ended October 2 in St.
Petersburg in Florida. Marcis Voldiņš managed the tour. The action takes place in the Soviet days at a place on the
Black Sea, where the family from Latvia has traveled after tragic personal
events at home. Audiences at all performances were very complimentary regarding
the professional performances by the actors, but opinions differed on the
choice of the play; the environment in the play was unfamiliar to the viewers,
and some would have preferred material of lighter nature. The actors had an opportunity to watch some Broadway shows in
New York City, and were satisfied with the trip, although would have preferred
more leisurely arrangements – on average, they had to perform every second day.
The receipts of the tour covered expenses. The ensemble VILKI
came from Latvia to the USA in the spring for a tour of 16 performances,
starting with Seattle, WA on April 18, then covering the Midwest and East
Coast, and ending in St. Petersburg, FL. The tour was supported by the Latvian
government under the auspices of the program for support of Latvian cultural
activities abroad (IUMSILS), and it was sponsored jointly by TILTS and Daugavas
Vanagi. Maija Zaeska was responsible for the tour. The VILKI group is well known for
their singing and demonstration of the songs and lifestyles of Latvian
warriors, ranging from ancient times to the Latvian riflemen in the Czars’
army, to Latvian Legionnaires of the Second World War and the national
partisans following the Soviet occupation. They have collected the most recent
songs from the actual participants in the war, and they fashion the ancient
weapons themselves in accordance with recent archeological discoveries. VILKI supplemented their singing
with demonstration of the use of the ancient weapons and with pictures
projected on a large screen. The audiences were enthusiastic, and the younger
generation was particularly interested in the ancient weaponry (so was the USA
Immigration Service at the time VILKI entered the country!). TILTS expresses appreciation to
Daugavas Vanagi for co-sponsoring the tour, and to IUMSILS for the grant. The
tour ended with a slight surplus. In November-December
TILTS arranged reading of poetry by the well-known Latvian poet Juris
Kronbergs from Sweden. Public recitals were arranged in Boston,
Washington, Philadelphia, East Brunswick (NJ), and St. Petersburg (FL); a
gathering for an American audience was arranged in New York City. Valdis
Bašēns managed the tour. Mr. Kronbergs was
particularly pleasantly surprised by the attention he received at American
Latvian Youth Congress – a large number of the attendees were familiar with his
work, were eager to attend his recitals, and were enthusiastic about his poems.
The expenses exceeded
the proceeds of the tour, and TILTS had to cover the difference. The Exceptional Young Artists Fund, under the leadership of
Laila Robiņa, in 2006 received a total of $9,500 in donations. The total of $8,750 was awarded to the following young
artists: Contributions to the Fund can be
made by sending a check, written to “Latvian
Cultural Association TILTS, Inc.”, to In its lifetime, the Exceptional Young Artists Fund has
awarded a total of over $100,000 to over 30 young artists. The newly created History Projects Fund, managed by Lilita
Bergs, in 2006 received $4,430 from 26 donors. The Fund made an award of $3,000 to Anna Žigure to
cover her expenses in the preparation of the book, tentatively called “Eslingena,”
about the Latvian Displaced Persons (DP) camps in Germany following the Second
World War. Her plan is to cover the lives of people, in the form of a novel,
after the people left Latvia in 1944-1945 to escape the advancing Soviet army
and before they left the camps for overseas countries around 1950. Contributions to
the Fund can be made by sending a check, written to “Latvian Cultural
Association TILTS, Inc.”, to To advance interaction with and among people who have moved
to Latvia from the West, particularly among the members of TILTS, TILTS
arranged two gatherings in Latvia: In 2006 TILTS board awarded
financial support to the following projects: We are gratified that, on the basis of our initiative or with our
support, the President of Latvia has bestowed recognition to the following: Triju Zvaigžņu ordenis (the Order of the
Three Stars) is the highest civilian recognition in Latvia, and Atzinības
krusts (The Cross of Merit) is awarded by the President for
outstanding service to the country. On the basis of our initiative, the American Latvian
Association has awarded the following recognition:Pēteris Zariņš
at paz@twcny.rr.com
Tel. (315) 682-5615,
Fax (315) 682-1772Classical Music
A day before the Boston concert, the classical radio station of Boston
interviewed the singers of PUTNI and TAPESTRY and broadcast their recordings.
In New York City, PUTNI presented a concert jointly with the famous “New
Amsterdam Singers”; a reception arranged by Guna Mundheim, a member of TLITS
Board, followed this concert. Audiences at all concerts where overwhelmed by
the quality of the programs and the musical excellence of the singers.
With financial support from the American Latvian Association, PUTNI presented
four special concerts to the students of Latvian schools, where the singers
introduced Latvian folk music and Latvian composers Pēters Vasks, Maija
Einfelde and Juris Ābols to the young audiences.
In spite of the financial support received from Latvia’s Kultūrkapitāla
Fund and the municipality of Rīga, and in spite of the frugal travel
arrangements, the tour ended up with a deficit.
In Houston the concert was organized by the First Baptist Church of Houston
together with the local Honorary Latvian Consulate. In many other cities
the Latvian community worked with local concert-series organizers
(for example in Cleveland it was one of the "Brownbag" concerts). In
all cities the public appreciated his varied program, which included such
composers as Johann Gottfried Muethel, the last student of Bach, who worked in
Riga, as well as 20th century Latvian composers and Kalējs own
compositions. The organist at Myers Park United Methodist Church in
Charlotte exclaimed "Aivars gave a magnificent concert. He is a
master."
Receipts of the tour met the tour expenses without needing added contributions
from TILTS. Thanks to all who worked with local churches to make the concerts a
reality and to all the families who hosted Mr. Kalējs. A review of his
Cleveland concert can be found in the LAIKS Christmas issue." Theatre
Ethnic Performances
Lectures and Presentations
Exceptional Young Artists Fund
TILTS, c/o Laila Robins,
241 Central Park West Apt. 14H,
New York, N.Y. 10024.History Projects Fund
TILTS, c/o Lilita Bergs,
P.O. Box 67,
Fabius, NY 13063.Meetings in Latvia
Support
Recognition
Other Significant Events of 2006
- TILTS established the “History Projects Fund” under the leadership of Lilita Bergs, Aivars Keire and Biaba Pinne to support projects related to the documentation of history of Latvia and Latvians.
- Ints Dzelsgalvis represented TILTS at the 2006 ALA Congress.
- Dace Aperāne and Baiba Pinne represented TILTS at the Council of New York Latvian Organizations.
- Andris Padegs and Ģirts Zeidenbergs participated at the US-Baltic Foundation event and reception in Washington, DC March 3 in recognition of Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, the President of Latvia.
- Andris Padegs has submitted an article about TILTS for the forthcoming encyclopedia of world’s Latvian Associations, sponsored by the Rīgas Latviešu Biedrība.
- Ģirts Zeidenbergs was invited to represent TILTS at the 100th anniversary event of Anšlavs Eglītis at the Rīgas Latviešu biedrība.
The 2006 annual review was prepared in Latvian and English by Andris Padegs.