Pennsylvania

Culture

Estonian: Pennsylvania's Estonian community has deep historical roots in the region. A small number of Estonian soldiers and laborers were among the very first Europeans to settle and clear land in the 17th century in what is now southeastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. Today, roughly 1,300 Estonians live statewide, with the largest concentration in Philadelphia. The community's most well-known figure is Louis Kahn, who was born in Estonia, immigrated to Philadelphia, and went on to become one of the 20th century's most celebrated architects, later teaching at the University of Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Eesti Kool (Philadelphia Estonian School), is a volunteer-run school offering Estonian language, history, and cultural lessons to children of Estonian descent. A Philadelphia Estonian society represents the local diaspora, while some Estonians in the area also travel to Lakewood, New Jersey, to participate in Estonian community events.

Latvian: For over 130 years, the Philadelphia Society of Free Letts has been the home of Latvian culture in the region. It hosts classes, lectures, musical performances, art exhibitions, film screenings, dances, and more. Recently, these have ranged from a workshop teaching the game of novuss to a lecture on the Latvian Legion in World War II and a museum exhibit about Latvian history. The society has been a site of political engagement in support of Latvian freedom; since independence was restored, it has served as a polling place for parliamentary elections. It also maintains a library with over 13,000 items and an archive covering the society’s history and Latvian life in Philadelphia for over 130 years, which is available to researchers and members.

Other Latvian organizations include the Latvian Relief Fund of America, a nonprofit offering scholarships to learn about Baltic culture as well as financial assistance for hardships; Dzirkstele folk dancing group; Philadelphia Baptist Congregation; and the Philadelphia Latvian Lutheran Church of St. John, which is the oldest Latvian Lutheran congregation in the United States. St. John’s Church services are in both English and Latvian, and the church is an area hub for both Latvian cultural and religious activity. Latvian School, which goes through the eighth grade, is active during the school year. Other social and cultural events such as folk dancing, music and art exhibits, and craft fairs are a frequent part of the church calendar. 

Lithuanian: Philadelphia is one of the most Lithuanian cities in the country, with the fourth-largest total number of ethnic Lithuanians. Its community has longstanding historical ties to Lithuania. In 1918, they sent a replica of the Liberty Bell to Lithuania; it is now displayed at the Kaunas War Museum. The city is home to the Lithuanian Cultural Center of Philadelphia, the Lithuanian Music Hall, Aguona Lithuanian Dance Group, Amber Roots Lithuanian Heritage Club, an award-winning choir, a children’s school, the world’s largest Kanklės orchestra in the country, three Lithuanian churches, a synagogue named after Vilnius, and an abandoned Lithuanian cemetery in its suburbs. Elsewhere in the state are the Pittsburgh Lithuanian School and countless Lithuanian churches and graveyards – especially in the Southern Coal region, which is also known as “Little Lithuania.”

Between 1975 and 1987, the Lithuanian Cultural Center, reading room, meeting rooms, and folk art display opened within the Lithuanian Music Hall in Philadelphia. The Lithuanian Cultural Center is home to an extensive collection of historic Lithuanian publications. The hall continues to house a library and cultural center that documents the Lithuanian-American experience in Philadelphia and the coal-mining towns of Pennsylvania. The collection includes books, records, artifacts and music dating back as far as the 1890s. The Philadelphia Chapter of the Lithuanian Folk Art Institute also has a permanent folk art exhibit on display within the Lithuanian Cultural center.

Diplomacy

All three Baltic states maintain Honorary Consuls in Pennsylvania who are members of the Consular Corps Association of Philadelphia—the nation’s first diplomatic corps. The Lithuanian Honorary Consul General currently serves as President of the organization, which represents 85 countries.

Partnerships between the Baltic countries and Pennsylvania support state priorities in trade, agriculture, life sciences, and defense innovation. For example, Lithuania maintains several active Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Pennsylvania partners, including cooperation between the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Klaipėda; the Lithuanian Ministry of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; and Life Sciences Pennsylvania and the Lithuanian Biotechnology Association. In September 2025, the Pennsylvania Drone Association, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense, and the Lithuanian Defense and Security Industry Association signed an MOU establishing the NEPA–Lithuanian Collaborative focused on drone innovation, manufacturing, and defense applications.

Economics

Major US companies have benefited from the business-friendly, secure Baltics as a gateway to the EU market and for providing support services for global expansion. For example, US company Shift4 – headquartered in Allentown, PA – has a center in Vilnius, Lithuania. Pennsylvania is also home to a regional chapter of the Latvian American Chamber of Commerce.

Military

Since 1993, the Pennsylvania National Guard has partnered with Lithuania through the State Partnership Program, conducting more than 800 joint engagements, NATO exercises, and cyber defense initiatives to strengthen interoperability and deterrence. Lithuanian Armed Forces have also trained Pennsylvania soldiers in weapon skills with classroom training, crew drills, and maintenance courses. Pennsylvania also supports Baltic security through defense manufacturing, including Remote Weapon Systems and missiles produced by Kongsberg Gruppen in Johnstown and M109 Paladin howitzers built by BAE Systems in York, bolstering allied capabilities while driving economic growth and jobs in the state.