Ambassador John Carwile
September 24, 2020
University of Latvia Botanical Garden
Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us. I am glad to see so many embassy alumni and friends here tonight. I am also especially grateful that we are able to hold this event after it was postponed due to the Covid-19 restrictions earlier this year. We are watching developments closely, but for now we are taking advantage of the relatively good situation in Latvia and the warm weather.
Next year, we will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the return of U.S. diplomats to Riga. Our exchange programs began in earnest after that point, and they have played a key role in deepening the strong U.S.-Latvian relationship. All of you are part of this story, and I thank you.
Despite the challenges of the pandemic, our exchange programs will continue–in some cases online or a little later than planned. For example, three Latvian Fulbright students are currently studying at U.S. universities, two in person and one remotely, with plans to travel to the United States next semester for in-person classes. We also look forward to welcoming American Fulbright students and scholars to Latvia in January.
I am proud of everything that you have accomplished and I look forward to seeing more of your energy and creative ideas in action.
Thank you all for joining us this evening.
