Creating Leaders of the Baltic States for 10 Years!
In 2022 BAFF is celebrating its 10th anniversary with various events. Find out about our 10th- Anniversary Reunion, Conference, BAFFathon Fundraiser and download the Anniversary Publication
Greetings to my dear BAFF!
|
I can't believe it's been 10 years!
|
For many more years to come!
|
So glad we can finally meet in person! :)
|
BAFF =(?) Being A Fortune Fairy
|
I very much look forward to this BAFF reunion event!
|
Happy birthday BAFF! I wish you many more years to come - fulfilled with success, new knowledge, smart people and fun times! It is an honour to be part of this alumni community!
|
Super excited to meet all the alumni and participate is such event!
|
Best wishes to the BAFF organization. You are the best! :)
|
Looking forward to meet all the bright fellow BAFFistas and the amazing team who is driving the program and the community.
|
Congratulations and loads of compliments to BAFF for building such an impressive human and know-how capital across Baltics-America. Long live BAFF!
|
May the BAFF community continue growing and always bring together great people for great causes!
Greetings to my dear BAFF! | I can't believe it's been 10 years! | For many more years to come! | So glad we can finally meet in person! :) | BAFF =(?) Being A Fortune Fairy | I very much look forward to this BAFF reunion event! | Happy birthday BAFF! I wish you many more years to come - fulfilled with success, new knowledge, smart people and fun times! It is an honour to be part of this alumni community! | Super excited to meet all the alumni and participate is such event! | Best wishes to the BAFF organization. You are the best! :) | Looking forward to meet all the bright fellow BAFFistas and the amazing team who is driving the program and the community. | Congratulations and loads of compliments to BAFF for building such an impressive human and know-how capital across Baltics-America. Long live BAFF! | May the BAFF community continue growing and always bring together great people for great causes!
10TH-ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE
GENERATION : FREEDOM
On the 18th of June 2022, Baltic-American Freedom Foundation celebrated its 10th Anniversary with the greatest alumni gathering yet. Over 300 BAFF community members met in Riga for the alumni-curated conference titled GENERATION : FREEDOM. The expert speakers included prominent members of the Alumni Community as well as members of the BAFF Board of Directors. The diverse panels tackled both evergreen and acute questions and fueled the discussion within the BAFF community. See the detailed description of the panels and the full list of speakers below.
-
![]()
Baltic American Continuity
25 Years of promoting the next generation of Baltic Leaders. Future is now! The first speakers Andres Trink and Kim Davis looked back on the history of BAFF, highlighting the most significant decisions that have shaped the Foundation and supported the development of the next generation of Baltic Leaders.
-
![]()
Building Resilient Communities
Speakers Ieva Ilves, Peter Ragauss, Marius Laurinavicius tackled the question how do active citizenship and grassroots level diplomacy create resilient communities. The panel touched upon the evergreen and acute security challenges of Baltics, and Eastern Europe at large. What role does cooperation with the US play, and how does BAFF continue to contribute to building resilient communities? Moderated by Anna Udre
-
![]()
Creativity and Commerce: Oxygen for the baltics
The panel tackled three big questions: how to best foster creativity, how to commercialize it, and what are the biggest killers of creativity. The panel brought together creative leaders like Danguole Altman – BAFF Board of Directors Co-Chair and a highly innovative entrepreneur, Zane Culkstena, the head of many major cultural initiatives, and Peter Ragauss – The Honorary Consul of Latvia to Texas and a patron of the Latvian Film Industry.
-
![]()
ESG impact on Business Success
The panelists look at the topic from three angles. On a geopolitical level, how do Environmental, Social and Governmental factors impact investment and retracting of investment in non-compliant countries and industries? What are these dynamics in the Baltic States and what's the impact to business performance for companies that are ESG compliant? The speakers were BAFF BoD member Joanne Medero, alumni Lina Jasaite and Egita Polanska.
-
![]()
Leading a Meaninful and Balanced Life
Building a successful career, creating a family and maintaining relationships, staying healthy, giving back and being happy. Making it all work can be a challenge. We heard personal stories of success and thriving as well as tools for getting things done from BAFF BoD members Dr Asta Sendonaris and Randal Quarles, as well as alumni Elise Sass and Justinas Jarusevicius. The touching and insightful panel emphasised knowing the difference between doing things right and doing the right things.
ANNIVERSARY BOOK
TEN YEARS OF BAFF ALUMNI
TREE OF STORIES exhibition
On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation the special and unique exhibition is travelling through the capitals of the Baltic States – Vilnius, Tallinn, and Riga.
It will be based on human stories, experiences and developments shaped by BAFF.
Danguole Altman, the Co-chair of BAFF Board of Directors says: “A tree has many layers — like a life of a person. We are truly happy that for 10 years we have had an opportunity to be a part of the lives of BAFF graduates. Thanks to BAFF programs, our graduates have not only acquired new knowledge, experience, and contacts: these programs have also helped to strengthen the Baltic-American relations and made sure that experts from various areas could come to the Baltic States. I am happy to state that for 10 years BAFF has developed the future Baltic leaders, and together we have made significant achievements in deepening the links between Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the United States of America.”
The exhibition opened for visitors in all three Baltic countries:
March 2 – 29 at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Vilnius, Lithuania
April 1 – 27 at The Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn, Estonia
May 2 – 29 at National Library of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
BAFFATHON 2021
From the 25th of June till 4th of July, 2021, in the spirit of BAFF's 10th Anniversary our alumni ran, swam, cycled or and walked together more than 800 km to raise money for charity. The charity challenge was called BAFFATHON. Giving and charitable actions have always been an important part of BAFF Alumni Community and hundreds of our alumni donate for good causes every year. This year, many people have faced serious challenges to their mental health and wellbeing. That’s why the BAFF Alumni Counsel organized BAFFATHON to enable our alumni to raise awareness and to support 3 charities in the Baltics that help people with their emotional wellbeing:
Jaunimo linija (Youth Line) – a hotline for emotional support in Lithuania
Mentor Latvia – provides emotional and practical support to young people in Latvia who lack family care
Peaasi (Head Matters)- provides mental health education and resources for everyone in Estonia.
