2021 marks 15 years since the first conference focused on the archives of Baltic people abroad. This took place in 2006 at the Estonian Literary Museum in Tartu and led to the official establishment of the NGO Baltic Heritage Network in 2008.

2021 is the year for BaltHerNet’s regular conference, but due to the pandemic we have decided to host it online and not in Vilnius, as was originally planned. The 6th BaltHerNet conference “No Topic Conference” will take place September 15th-16th on Zoom. We have adjusted the event schedule to adapt as much as possible to everyone’s time zones. Sessions will take place according to Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian time from 9pm-midnight. It is also possible to participate with a pre-recorded presentation. Similarly, the conference recording can be viewed at a later time.

The last year has changed the world quite drastically. We would like to discuss this at the conference:

·         In what position has the pandemic situated memory institutions and communities of Baltic people abroad, including their archives groups, and what could we take from this experience?

·         Have the pandemic restrictions changed the priorities of memory institutions/communities and if so, how?

·         What new ways of working and new methods have been used?

·         How have existing digital and online resources assisted in managing in this new situation?

·         What new digital and online solutions have been created?

·         Has the use of archives collections of Baltic people abroad changed? If so, how?

·         How has the pandemic affected collection work?

·         What types of innovative solutions have (historical) cultural programmers developed?

·         Has the audience of events changed? If so, how?

·         How have the restrictions affected exposition work?

·         More generally, how has the pandemic affected the lives and livelihood of diaspora communities?

Please submit your presentation propositions by July 31st to piretnoorhani[at]gmail.com.

The conference will be in English.

The length of presentations is 20 minutes.

Conference registration starting May 17th to September 10th at the website: balther.net.

Participation in the conference is free.

All those interested across the globe are welcome!