Annual meeting of the directors of national hydrometeorological services of the Baltic and Nordic countries – parties to the BALTMET Agreement was held at LHMS on April 3rd – 4th. To attend the meeting arrived: Mr Jalmar Mandel, Director-General of the Estonian Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, Ms Inita Stikute, Chairperson of the Board of Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre, Prof. Anton Eliassen, Director-General of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, Prof. Petteri Taalas, Director-General of the Finnish Meteorological Institute, and Ms Lena Häll Eriksson, Director-General of the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. The meeting agenda included: tour-de-table presentations on recent achievements and future plans, issues related to the provision of meteorological services for aviation, cooperation with the European meteorological organizations (ECMWF, EUMETSAT, EUMETNET), preparation for the session of Regional Association VI (Europe) of the World Meteorological Organization to be held this September, joint projects (BALTRAD, MetCoop), BALTMET organizational and other topical issues.

Every year on 22nd and 23rd days of March hydrologist and meteorologist communities worldwide celebrate their professional anniversaries: World Water Day and World Meteorological Day.

UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announce in advance their slogans for the occasion to guide hydrologists and meteorologists worldwide on main themes for their festive meetings, scientific conferences and various campaigns. This year's festive mottoes are:

"Water, water everywhere, only if we share" – marking the International Year of Water Cooperation 2013

"Watching the weather to protect life and property" – celebrating 50 years of the World Weather Watch

The 7^th meeting of the Management Group of the Regional Association Europe (RA VI) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) was held at the WMO Headquartes in Geneva (Switzerland) on February 5^th - 6^th.

The participants asessed the implementation of RA VI 2012-2015 Operating/Action Plan, preparations for RA VI regional conference and RA VI session this September. The meeting was attended by the RA VI Vice-President and the Director of the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Environment, Ms Vida Augulienė.

The 6^th meeting of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) Regional Association Europe (RA VI) Management Group was held at the premises of the German Weather Service (DWD) in Offenbach on April 19^th-20^th. The meeting's participants assessed the RA VI Action Plan for 2008-2011, adopted a new Plan for 2012-2015, discussed preparations for the RA VI session in 2013. The meeting was attended by the elected WMO RA VI Vice-President and the Director of the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service under the Ministry of Environment, Ms Vida Augulienė.