A new non-profit association Baltic Heritage Network was founded at the BaltHerNet Baltic Seminar in Tartu at Estonian National Museum on January 10-11, 2008. The seminar was organized by the Expert Team on the Estonian Archives Abroad (in cooperation with Estonian National Museum and Karl Ristikivi Society) and sponsored by the Compatriot Programme (Estonian Ministry of Education and Research). All three Baltic states were represented with 22 registered participants from 17 institutions.
NPA BaltHerNet was established to foster network cooperation between the national and private archives, museums, libraries, institutions of research, public associations and organizations collecting and studying cultural heritage of the Baltic diaspora to facilitate the preservation and research of the historically valuable cultural property of the Baltic diaspora, as well as to ensure accessibility of these materials to the public. NPA BaltHerNet will develop and encourage cooperative networking domestically and regionally (within and between each of the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), as well as internationally (Baltic States, the worldwide Baltic Community). NPA will also develop and administers the electronic information portal Baltic Heritage Network, a multilingual electronic gateway to information on the Baltic cultural heritage of the Baltic diaspora.
A Board of 5 members and an Audit Panel of 3 members were elected. Board: Piret Noorhani (President, Estonian National Museum), Linas Saldukas (Vice-President, Lithuanian Emigration Institute), Gatis Karlsons (Vice-President, Directorate General of Latvia State Archives), Karin Kiisk (Secretary; Tartu University), Birgit Kibal (National Archives of Estonia). Audit Panel: Tiiu Kravtsev (Panel Chair, Estonian State Archives, Merike Kiipus (Estonian Literary Museum), Anne Valmas (Academic Library of Tallinn University).
Information about the organization will be available at: http://www.balther.net. During the year 2008 presentations of the gateway and the new organization will be arranged in Baltic states and Baltic communities worldwide.
Contact:
Piret Noorhani
Estonian National Museum
J. Kuperjanovi 9, 50409 Tartu
t. +372 7350 423