Articles by Ludo Segers

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Chancellor Merkel and President Obama discuss Ukrainian situation as fewer options remain to resolve crisis

February 10, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

German Chancellor Angela Merkel visited United States President Barack Obama in the White House on Monday. The visit, which had been planned for some time, saw both leaders discuss a wide array of trade and security issues. The recent developments in Ukraine, with Russia destabilizing the country, dominated a large part of the talks and the hour-long joint press conference that followed. The press conference was attended by Vice-President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry and UN Ambassador Susan Rice. […]

Mr. Berger addresses the International Holocaust Remembrance Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Washington

January 28, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

On Tuesday, an International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony took place in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC. The International Holocaust Remembrance Day coincided this year with the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The Lithuanian Ambassador to the USA, Žygimantas Pavilionis, attended the solemn remembrance service. The Museum’s senior advisor, Arthur Berger, welcomed the gathering, that included a number of holocaust survivors and a large number of diplomats. […]

Federica Mogherini, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and US Secretary of State, John Kerry Photo Ludo Segers
European Union

EU’s Federica Mogherini discusses Ukraine and security with John Kerry.

January 22, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

On Wednesday, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, met with US Secretary of State, John Kerry. The two discussed a number of issues during a luncheon meeting, in particular the situation in Ukraine, the recent wave of terrorist violence in France and other EU countries, energy independence, and other security issues. […]

Dalia Dedinskaitė, violin and Gleb Pyšniak, cello performing Ravel at the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

Concert commemorates Freedom Defenders’ Day in Washington

January 16, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

On 15 January, the duo of Dalia Dedinskaitė and Gleb Pyšniak played a recital in remembrance of Lithuania’s Freedom Defenders’ Day at the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington. The duo performed works by Zoltán Kodály, Vytautas Barkauskas, and Maurice Ravel. […]

Filmmakers, Jonas Ohman and Vincas Sruoginis. Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

13 January commemoration – The Invisible Front in Washington

January 14, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

On Tuesday, 13 January, the Lithuanian community and a large number of American guests commemorated in Washington’s University Club the day in 1991 when the Soviet army attempted to overthrow Lithuania’s legitimate government in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union. The attendants paid tribute to the 14 people killed and the over one thousand unarmed Lithuanian civilians injured when the Soviet army and Special Forces attempted to overtake the Vilnius TV Tower and the Lithuanian parliament – the Seimas. […]

Lithuanian Ambassador Pavilionis draped in the Lithuanian flag joined Ukrainian Ambassador Motsyk and the French Ambassador Araud in the silent march Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

Silent march in Washington to commemorate French terrorist attacks

January 12, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

On Sunday afternoon, several thousand people turned up in Washington for a silent march organised by the French Embassy. The march was held on the same day as millions joined the leaders of dozens of countries in Paris. In Washington, the ambassadors from several countries together with dignitaries, religious leaders and thousands of concerned citizens joined the French Ambassador to the USA, Gérard Araud. The participants gathered in front of the Newseum in Washington, a museum dedicated to the press and freedom of expression. […]

FLTR Ambassador Pavilionis, Mackenson Pierre, Sandy Louiseme and Szymon Czyszek of the Knights Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

Haitian earth quake victims to visit Vilnius

January 7, 2015 Ludo Segers 0

On Monday, 5 January, the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington received the visit of three young amputees, victims of the 2010 Haitian earthquake. The young man came to make a visa application for a visit to Vilnius on 8 January. The three will then travel to Rome, Italy, where they will attend a conference at the Vatican. […]

Nigel Farage and Rolandas Paksas
Opinion

Opinion: Nigel Farage, one of Putin’s pawns

December 23, 2014 Ludo Segers 0

It is often said that politicians make for strange bedfellows. Moreover, people are judged by the friends or partners they have in life. In that light, one really should question Rolandas Paksas’ judgement when he invited UKIP’s Nigel Farage to his Order and Justice party congress in Vilnius. […]

Prometheus Strangling the Vulture - Jacques Lipchitz. Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

Litvak art in Philadelphia

November 30, 2014 Ludo Segers 0

Philadelphia can lay claim to a few superlatives in art. Probably nowhere are so many paintings by Renoir and sculptures by Jacques Lipchitz on public display within less than 1 square mile but in Philadelphia. Both have a connection to France and Lipchitz life story even leads all the way to Druskininkai in Lithuania. […]

Lithuanian Diplomatic Star being awarded to Professor Snyder Photo Ludo Segers
Foreign affairs

Lithuanian Diplomacy Star awarded to Yale professor and author Timothy Snyder

October 28, 2014 Ludo Segers 0

On Monday, 27 October, the bestselling author, historian and Yale professor Timothy Snyder was honoured with the Lithuanian Diplomacy Star during a ceremony at the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington, DC. […]

Petras Geniušas and Liudas Mockūnas at the Lithuanian Embassy in Washington, DC Photo Ludo Segers
Global LT

Čiurlionis’ music revisited in Washington, DC

October 26, 2014 Ludo Segers 0

Lithuanian composer and painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis had a short, yet very prolific life (he was just 35 when he died in 1911). He considered himself a synesthete, in that he perceived colours and music simultaneously. Čiurlionis composed about 400 pieces of music, mostly for the piano, and he also created 300 paintings – many with musical names. In addition, he wrote literary works and poems. An asteroid – 2420 Čiurlionis – was named after him. Few artists have left such deep influence on Lithuanian culture. […]

Petro Poroshenko and Barack Obama
Uncategorized

US President Obama pledges continued support for Ukraine

October 16, 2014 Ludo Segers 0

On Wednesday, US President Barack Obama participated in a video conference with Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, President François Hollande of France, and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi of Italy.  They discussed the international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, including steps that are being taken to counter the spread of the disease. […]

President Petro Poroshenko at the White House. Photo Ludo Segers
Uncategorized

Ukrainian President Poroshenko asks US military assistance during visit to Washington

September 19, 2014 Ludo Segers 0

The high-level visit of Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to Washington on 18 September attracted much greater attention in the US capital than any other recent visit of a foreign head of state. His busy schedule saw President Poroshenko in the morning addressing the House of Representatives and the Senate in a joint meeting of US Congress before heading to the White House to meet President Barack Obama in the afternoon. […]