Intercultural dialogue and the relations between the different religious faiths are two of the main themes of the official journey of René van der Linden, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which will begin tomorrow. The Dutch politician will be in Estonia from 18th to 20th, in Latvia from 20th to 22nd, and in Lithuania from 22nd to 24th. The items on the agenda for the high-rank meetings are: "The role of the Council of Europe in promoting common values, human rights and democracy, ways to prevent new differences coming into being in Europe, intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, and the problems of minorities". The three Baltic Republics, which are members of the CoE and the European Union, will host, as announced by a release from Strasbourg, "meetings with top-rank government executives, including the Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the Latvian Prime Minister Aigars Kalvitis and the Lithuanian Prime Minister Gediminas Kirilas". Van der Linden will also meet the presidents of the three national Parliaments, several local authorities, delegates of minority groups and students. In additions, meetings will be held with some leaders of religious communities, including Alexander, the Metropolitan Bishop of Riga and all Latvia, and the Archbishop of Vilnius Adurys Juozas Baèkis.” ” ” “
