On June 28 during the participation in the Tallberg Forum in Sweden Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga stressed that the problems of the modern world need multilateral approach and it is necessary to unite people of the state, non-government and academic backgrounds to search for the solutions to the most topical challenges of the world from different aspects.
During the press conference where also the President took part, it was admitted that in the modern world connections among the areas of the geopolitical security, climate change, economy, culture, energy must be looked for to ensure the world growth and allow the world to solve the problems connected with the climate and other global changes.
The President stressed that she had been interested in these issues already when being a scholar and working in the Science Council of Canada. The issues are also important to her in the position of the State President. The Latvian people are closely connected with the global political, economic and environment issues and Latvia must also know how to participate in the discussion with its opinion and voice.
During the event it was discussed how states and individuals can improve the situation in the world in the issues of environment, economy and security. The President stressed that everybody in this world has rights, possibilities and responsibility to take care for the world 's everybody in his profession and life. Vaira Vike-Freiberga said everybody in the world first of all represents himself; then he most often represents a country and is its citizen. She added that a person has the possibility to engage in some non-government organization or within his profession do something that enhances the responsibility for the world change and improves the world; thus the decision would be adopted that facilitates environment protection without bringing harm to the global development.
The opening of the Forum was also addressed on video by the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan from New York. He also took part in a conversation with the participants of the panel discussion, including the President of Latvia. The President highly appreciated the role of the UN Secretary-General in addressing the heaviest problems of the world as well as working hard to gain the support of all countries to the need for reforms and their involvement in the reform implementation. During the Forum, Vike-Freiberga also had the opportunity to meet with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.
