Born into a dream

Throughout centuries, the Baltic Sea has mitigated free trade and cultural exchange among people and nations with widely different backgrounds, which gave dynamism and diversity. After a troubled – though in a historical context fairly short – period with limitations on trade and individual freedom, our shared sea has resumed its old role. “Born into a dream” looks byond the dark period into the new freedom and into the challenging building up of the societies around our common heritage. Thank you for the “the dream”. Per Bødker Andersen President of the Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC) “Born into a Dream” draws attention to the many enlightened idealists that have been so crucial for giving fl esh and bones to Nordic and German government support for the Baltic countries and to the Baltic countries’ successful dismantling of their Soviet legacy. With today’s focus on talents and university upgrading as means of facing global competition, it is also a compelling and interesting story in which Gustav N. Kristensen describes successes and failures in the extraordinary committed work done by the many dedicated people behind the EuroFaculty. Hans Brask Director of Baltic Development Forum In America as in Europe – particularly in the case of the Baltic states – freedom was a dream that opened to us as a wonderful miracle. I was pleased with the good experience the EuroFaculty had in promoting the free Baltic-American relationship. The people of the Baltic Sea region and the people of the Great Lakes region can learn from one another. “Born into a Dream” is a stiring assessment of our current reality. It does not ignore the hardships for international cooperation but sets forth a clear roadmap to achieving cooperation. Indeed, this book can help reshape the conversation around international partnership. George K. Heartwell, Mayor Grand Rapids, Michigan Chairman of Great Lakes and St Lawrence Cities Initiative