Tuesday, July 16
U.S. Marines arrive in Tallinn this week from Norway, Germany, and the United States to support the Women in Science (WiSci) STEAM Camp for Girls. WiSci is a public-private partnership between the Department of State, the United Nations Foundation’s Girl Up initiative, Intel, Google, NASA, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Tallinn City Government, Telia, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the NGO “Spirit of America,” as well as a host of local actors. During the two-week camp, 100 girls from Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Poland, and the U.S will learn tech skills from industry experts while building friendships across borders. The all-female team from the U.S. Marine Corps will serve as mentors to campers and demonstrate how the knowledge the girls develop through WiSci can apply to future real-world careers in STEAM.
These Marines’ participation supports the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, as defined by UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and as laid out in the new U.S. strategy, signed June 2019. The Marines come from many distinct backgrounds, including finance, aviation, cyber, military science, and law. With contributions from ordinary patriotic Americans through the NGO “Spirit of America,” the service members will take the campers on an excursion day to Tartu to tour the town, visit the AHHAA Science Center, explore the Tartu Observatory, and attend Hanseatic Days. Spirit of America contributes to the missions of deployed United States personnel around the world. Their mission is to support the safety and success of Americans serving abroad, as well as the local people and partners they seek to help.
In addition to WiSci events, the Marines will visit the Estonian State Defense Camp on Aegna Island this week to teach first aid, water and boat safety. The Marines will also spend time with 100 students at the National Defense Camp in Harku municipality to conduct exercises, teach physical fitness, and facilitate an orienteering challenge. U.S. Marines have a long-standing relationship with Estonia through community outreach as well as the annual BALTOPS maritime exercise.
For more information on WiSci STEAM Camp for Girls, visit the WiSci STEAM Camps page on the Girl Up website or the Department of State’s WiSci page, follow #WiSci2019 and #WiSciEstonia on social media, or contact the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn.
