AMBASSADOR PAVILIONIS' VISIT TO LOS ANGELES
Updated 2011-02-22
Ambassador Pavilionis visited Los Angeles during the first weekend in February. He was among 1500 dignitaries invited to attend a celebration to commemorate the 100th birthday of Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States. The centennial celebration took place at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, and was hosted by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. The event was attended by Ambassadors from all three of the Baltic Republics -Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
The weekend festivities included appearances by former Reagan Chief of Staff James Baker, former U.S. Senator Fred Thompson, NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West, actor Gary Sinise, and video tributes by former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. Along with the official tributes and speeches guests were also treated to performances by Lee Greenwood, the Beach Boys, and Amy Grant. Additionally, Ambassador Pavilionis had the opportunity to personally meet Jeffrey Immelt Chairman of General Electric, California Congressman David Dreier, and former Reagan Secretary of State George Schultz.
On February 3rd, upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport, Ambassador Pavilionis was greeted by Lithuanian Honorary Consul Daiva Cekanauskas Navarrette and three beautiful Lithuanian girls dressed in national costumes. What followed the next few days was a busy schedule of meetings and appearances organized by Honorary Consul Navarrette. Ambassador Pavilionis met with local government officials, business leaders and members of the Los Angeles Lithuanian community.Meetings began at Los Angeles City Hall with Tom LaBonge Councilmember, 4th District and President of Los Angeles Sister Cities. Kaunas has been a Sister City of Los Angeles since June 29, 1991 and Councilman LaBonge’s territory covers the neighborhood that includes St. Casimir’s Lithuanian Catholic Church. Ambassador Pavilionis invited Councilman LaBonge to visit Kaunas during EuroBasket 2011 along with members of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The final round of the basketball championship games will be held in Kaunas.
Ambassador Pavilionis also met with Zev Yaroslavsky County of Los Angeles Supervisor, 3rd District. Since 1991, Supervisor Yaroslavsky has been associated with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), a non-governmental organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., that promotes the development of democratic institutions in new and growing democracies. Ambassador Pavilionis invited Supervisor Yaroslavsky to visit Lithuania again, this time during the Communities of Democracies Ministerial Meeting being held in Vilnius June 30-July 1, 2011.
Later that afternoon Ambassador Pavilionis spoke at the prestigious Los Angeles World Affairs Council Roundtable Lunch at the Regency Club where he discussed U.S.-Lithuanian relations with the Council’s Board of Directors and International Circle members.
The following day Ambassador Pavilionis visited St. Casimir’s Saturday Lithuanian School and met Principal Maryte Newsom. Ambassador Pavilionis spoke in the church hall to a large group of students, local Lithuanian community leaders and other guests.
