Category Archives: Current Affairs

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month

The European Bureau of the State Department sent an official message to all European posts on June 1 that included suggestions for ways to celebrate June as Gay Pride month. The message concludes asking Embassies to report back on activities … Continue reading

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World Press Freedom Day 2011

The 2011 World Press Freedom Day celebration is being held in Washington, D.C., USA on May 1-3. This is the first time the United States has hosted the World Press Freedom Day celebration. The theme of this year’s event is … Continue reading

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Vice President Joseph Biden Visits Helsinki

After fourteen years without a U.S. Presidential or Vice Presidential visit to Finland, Vice President Joe Biden, his wife Dr. Jill Biden and their granddaughter Finnegan arrived at Helsinki Vantaa airport on Monday afternoon.  Although their departure from the U.S. … Continue reading

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Not losing sight of Afghanistan

As we watch the momentous events unfolding in North Africa, progress elsewhere could be in jeopardy.  “High Stakes: Girls’ Education in Afghanistan,” a new report by 16 international aid organizations warns that a major success story on girls attending school … Continue reading

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National Export Strategy

Eleven months ago, on March 11, 2010, President Barack Obama announced the creation of thert National Expo Initiative (NEI) with the goal to double U.S. exports in the next five years. In his State of the Union address on January … Continue reading

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Opening of 10th Anniversary of DocPoint Film Festival

The 10th DocPoint Documentary Film Festival opened last night and surprisingly, it was on a bit of a down note.  The festival got underway with a screening of Barzakh, a meditation on lives of quiet desperation, adrift in the hopelessness … Continue reading

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R. Sargent Shriver, Peace Corps Leader, Dies at 95

Peace Corps founding father R. Sargent Shriver – who passed away January 18th at the age of 95 –   embraced both the service and cultural aspects of the organization. His vision and dedication to Peace Corps and its principals has … Continue reading

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Reflecting on the Senseless Killings In Arizona

The U.S. Embassy in Helsinki shares the shock and grief felt by all Americans over the tragic shootings that took place in Tucson over the past weekend.  Our hearts go out to all of the victims and their families. While … Continue reading

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Vapaaehtoiset saavat aikaan todellisia muutoksia

Ambassador Bruce Oreck recently gave an interview to Global Player, the journal of the Youth for Understanding in Finland, on the topic of volunteering – which he said is ingrained in the American DNA. Here is the interview text — … Continue reading

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Wikileaks: Not Journalism and Not Acceptable

The question was posed to me the other day, as it has been so many times before, about how the U.S. government, the champion of free press and free speech, can be so against Wikileaks and the sharing of information.  … Continue reading

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