Meet the Ambassadors 2014

WASHINGTON, DC, June 16  – Natalie DiBlasio with USA Today was elected President of the American News Women’s Club at this evening’s meeting.  Her election was immediately followed by remarks from Estonia’s Ambassador to the U.S. Her Excellency Marina Kaljurand -- the evening’s featured guest on the ANWC’s Meet the Ambassadors series.

Estonia, formally a part of the Soviet Union, was described by Ambassador Kaljurand as having a “friendly” relationship with the U.S.  She provided her listeners with a history of her small Baltic nation which became fully independent in 1991.  She explained that Estonians were the creators of the Skype technology and that her country has established an “e-government,” where documents and communication are conducted completely online.  She added that laws and regulations have been enacted to protect Estonian citizens’ privacy and identity.

Ambassador Kaljurand earned a Fulbright scholarship and a Master’s Degree in international law and diplomacy from Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; a professional diploma in international relations from the Estonian School of Diplomacy; and an LL.B cum laude from Tartu University.  She is fluent in Estonian, English and Russian.  

She played a key role in the recent “Estonia in Concert” at the Kennedy Center featuring the music of the internationally acclaimed Estonian composer Arvo Part.

Ambassador Kaljurand has a husband, a daughter and a son.  Her hobbies include Nordic walking, reading, dogs and badminton.  She will soon return to Estonia to become Undersecretary in the Foreign Ministry for Legal and Consular Affairs.

Previous Meet the Ambassadors speakers include Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae of Japan who hosted club members at his residence;  the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Washington, Ambassador Roble Olhaye of the Republic of Djibouti;  and  Ambassador Tebelelo Seretse of the Republic of Botswana. The Meet the Ambassadors series is chaired by Marion Mattingly, the club’s Vice President for Programs.

ANWC’s immediate past President Claire Swift said, “Meet the Ambassadors is underwritten by a grant from the MARPAT Foundation and will enable the ANWC to provide global forums for ambassadors and their delegates to share their untold stories with club members, both veteran and young journalists.”  Swift, who secured the grant, added, “The programs feature exchanges of views on important issues, thus, promoting international understanding and cultural awareness in a globalized world.”

Past events:

Tuesday, June 17, 2014: H.E. Marina Kaljurand of Estonia

Wednesday, June 4, 2014: H.E. Tebelelo Mazile Sereste of the Republic of Botswana (Read the press release here.)

Monday, April 28, 2014: H.E. Roble Olhaye of the Republic of Djibouti (Read the press release here.)