During his visit to Washington, DC Mr. Normunds Penke, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, presented the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation with Latvia's contribution for the launching of the Global Virtual Museum On Communism. Last year Latvia’s Cabinet of Ministers earmarked $3,000 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs budget for financial support for this virtual museum. On March 3, 2008 at the Embassy of Latvia, Mr. Penke presented a check to Mr. Karl Altau, the Foundation's Director of Public Affairs. Latvia's Minister of Economics Kaspars Gerhards was also present at this event. The goal of the virtual museum is to unite in an electronic network all museums and institutions involved with research related to the victims and crimes of communism. It will serve to educate this generation and future generations about the history, philosophy, and legacy of communism. The Government of Estonia, as well as various museums devoted to the memory of communism, have also financially contributed to this effort. Latvia has worked together with the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in the past by financially supporting the Victims of Communism memorial in Washington, which was dedicated on June 12, 200. Founded in 1994, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is a non-profit organization authorized by the US Congress to design and maintain an international memorial to the more than one hundred million victims of communism. The Foundation’s honorary chairman is President George W. Bush. Former President of Latvia Guntis Ulmanis is also one of the many founders and supporters of this project. pictured above: Latvian Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics; Estonian Ambassador Väino Reinart; Karl Altau, Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Director of Public Affairs; Ed Priola; Marcus Kolga; Latvian State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Norman Penke (photo by Peter Alunans)