Baltoscandiaor theBaltoscandian Confederationis a geopolitical concept of aBaltic–Scandinavian(Nordic)unioncomprisingDenmark,Estonia,Finland,Iceland,Latvia,Lithuania,Norway,andSweden.[1]The idea was proposed by a Swedish ProfessorSten de Geer(1886–1933) in the journalGeografiska Annalerin 1928 and further developed by ProfessorKazys Pakštas[2][3](1893–1960), a Lithuanian scientist in the field of geography and geopolitics.
Development of the concept
editPakštas states in his bookThe Baltoscandian Confederationthat the term Baltoscandia was first used by Sten de Geer in an article in "Geografiska Annaler" in 1928.[4]In this book Baltoscandia is described in several different dimensions: as a geographical and cultural, as an economic and as a political and military unit.[5]Kazys Pakštas proposed that one of the ways for the small nations to withstand the influence coming from the large ones is to unite and to cooperate more closely among each other. As he mentions, unification is possible only among nations that are similar by their size, geographical environment, religion, also they have to respect and to tolerate each other.
As the foreign policy of Lithuania has shifted towardsNorthern Europeeven more afterDalia Grybauskaitėcame into post of thePresident of Lithuania,[6]voices questioning the return of the Baltoscandian Confederation idea are on the rise in this country.[7]
Advocacy
editFor almost 20 years, the Academy of Baltoscandia (Baltoskandijos akademija) functioned inPanevėžys,Lithuania. It was founded on 17 November 1991 as the institute of science researches which regularly organizes arrangements dealing with Baltic and Scandinavian cultural, historical and political contacts. Its main aims were to "develop versatile links of the lands and nations in the region of Baltoscandia and to integrate the culture of Lithuania into the cultural space of Baltoscandia".[8]The academy was liquidated at the end of 2009 because of funding-related problems. The funding was provided by the Panevėžys city municipality, but the functions of the academy did not meet the criteria of the functions of the mentioned municipality.
Other terms
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TheNordic-Baltic Eightor NB8, where 8 stands for the number of countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden).
See also
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References
edit- ^"SCAND 344: The Baltic States and Scandinavia, Spring 2002".Archivedfrom the original on 25 October 2003.Retrieved16 March2010.
- ^"What is Baltoscandia? | Misija Lietuva 100".Archivedfrom the original on 2 October 2016.Retrieved28 September2016.
- ^Pakštas, Kazys."The Baltoscandian Confederation"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 4 September 2023.Retrieved16 October2022.
- ^"SCAND 344: The Baltic States and Scandinavia, Spring 2002".Archivedfrom the original on 25 October 2003.Retrieved16 March2010.
- ^The Concept of Baltoscandia according to Kazys Pakstas before the war and nowArchived12 June 2009 at theWayback Machine(in Lithuanian)
- ^"Alfa.lt".www.alfa.lt.Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2020.Retrieved3 September2022.
- ^Back to Baltoscandia?Archived17 February 2010 at theWayback Machine(in Lithuanian)
- ^"Politicians have closed the Academy of Baltoscandia".Archivedfrom the original on 29 September 2020.Retrieved26 March2010.