The first 25 years in the Baltic States The Danish Cultural Institute is both proud and happy to be able to celebrate the 25 years we have been active in the three Baltic States. We strongly believe that cultural exchange and cooperation between real people has been and will continue to be the solid foundation on which to build our common future. Understanding each other, inspiring and learning from each other will continue to create new opportunities for new fields of cooperation, cooperation that will tie us closer together. This Jubilee newsletter presents the reader with a number of different and significant examples of how the many cultural relations have developed over the years. Today we are in a more mature phase of relationships. We certainly know each other much better than 25 years ago, but we have to take care not to take everything accomplished so far for granted. There are still major issues at stake in our part of Europe, still issues that demand sometimes difficult dialogue and cooperation, not just between governments but also between people from different cultures. Maybe even more now than ever, is it important, that also non state actors continue take upon themselves the responsibilities to develop international cultural relations even farther. In order to foster the basis for the mutual understanding, that is one of the preconditions for a peaceful and prosperous life together also in our part of the world.   On Tuesday, the 18th of August, the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania celebrates 25 years of art, dialogue and cultural relations between Denmark and the three Baltic states. The joy of our long relationship will be celebrated in Latvia’s National Library, where the guests will be welcomed by a Latvian girls choir performing songs in the three Baltic languages and songs written by the Danish composer Carl Nielsen. The program continues with the Danish sound artist Christian Skjødt’s interpretation of Carl Nielsen’s string quartet in F-minor (op.5) and moves on with the unveiling of Latvian artist Voldemar Johanssons’s new piece THIRST- a documentation of the visually and sonically expressive marine scene of the powerful Northern Sea during winter storms at the Faroe Islands.   The Danish Minister of Culture, Bertel Haarder will attend the celebrations together with the Ministers of Culture from the three Baltic States. Former Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Uffe Ellemann Jensen; former Head of the Latvian Writers Union, Janis Peters, and Chairman of the DCI, Michael Christiansen, will represent the founders of the Danish Cultural Institute in the Baltic States in 1990.   The group Liima rounds off the celebration with a concert at Dailes Concert House in Riga in the evening. Liima consists of the Danish band Efterklang’s core members Mads Brauer, Casper Clausen and Rasmus Stolberg and the Finnish percussionist Tatu Rönkkö.     The newsletter is in English for the benefit of all our international partners. >>

	The Danish Cultural Institute and the Baltic way to Independence 25 years ago, the Danish Cultural Institute opened its first office in the Baltics. The decision to establish the institute in the three Baltic States was made in the sensitive political climate, before the independence was officially regained from the Soviet Union. >>

	Highlights From a Quarter Century Hundreds of Danish artists, writers, musicians, actors, theatre performers and other people have met, talked and interacted with their peers in the Baltics. This has taken place in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and in Denmark. >>

	Cross Boarder Culture /Culture Without Boundaries In the meeting between different people, a true understanding of people and cultures can be achieved. The cultural meeting is and has always been a corner stone of the Institutes activities. Throughout the 25 years of its existence, the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania has facilitated cultural meetings between Danes and Estonians, Latvians, Lithuanians. >>

			Music is Life Across continents and cultures; music is a fundamental tool for intercultural dialog. Music is not limited through language barriers, thereby making it an easy and accessible tool for cooperation, learning, co-creation and communication. >>

			Danish-Baltic Cinema from Children to present day Baltic Film Festival in Aarhus Film is one of the core areas for the work of the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The film media has great potential for reaching out to a large number of viewers, because language barriers do not limit it. >>

			Cultural Sustainability in fashion, design, architecture and creating sustainable projects in theatre Culture is the fourth pillar under sustainability alongside ecological, economic and social aspects, and it functions as a driver for sustainability. Cultural sustainability is a way to leave a sustainable mark on the present as well as the future. >>

	Culturability BSR – Culture and Sustainability in the Baltic Sea Region “Culturability BSR” unites sustainability and culture through the involvement of creative entrepreneurs, designers and artists from the entire Baltic Sea Region. The project is designed as a platform for the development and initiation of common projects within social innovation, the creative industries and city planning. >>

	The Sound of Art - Kirkegaard, Skjødt and Johansons in Dialogue Sound art is an excellent example of how musical theory can be transformed into reality. Sound art is a hybrid art form that deals with the surroundings and attempts to fuse sound and space. Sound art is also a great example of the intercultural dialog that the Danish Cultural Institute supports and facilitates. >>