From June 21-25, Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics visited Alaska under the auspices of the US State Department’s “Experience America” program. During the visit 40 foreign ambassadors, including those representing the Nordic-Baltic countries, Russia, Japan, the EU delegation, met with Alaska Governor Sean Parnell, as well as participated in a number of panel discussions on the regional cooperation in the High North, energy, climate change, trade, fisheries, transportation and tourism industries. The diplomats also had the opportunity to visit the rural hunting and fishing communities in Barrow, Alaska, one of the world’s northernmost settlements and met representatives of the Alaska Federation of Natives. On the evening of the Latvian Midsummer Holiday (Lîgo), the Ambassador had the opportunity to meet with a dozen Latvians who live in Alaska. In an interview aired June 24 on Anchorage’s KTVA TV (CBS, Channel 11), Amb. Pildegovics discusses his impressions of Alaska. (above photo of Latvians in Alaska provided by Erik Hill, Anchorage Daily News)