Riga celebrates the 20th anniversary of Latvia’s membership in NATO with a series of events

Events in honor of 20 years since Latvia became a full member of NATO started early in the morning. Even before the start of the working day, everyone had the opportunity to participate in the unfurling of the NATO flag several tens of meters long at the foot of the Freedom Monument.

During the day, the traditional flower-laying ceremony – this time, alongside the general of our armed forces and the minister of defense, also the ambassadors, military attachés and the leadership of the NATO Military Committee of almost all the member states of the alliance.

“We are glad that you are a member of NATO and we appreciate your contribution to the various missions, to the NATO Response Force, to the defense of the Alliance as a whole. You have done a great job over 20 years, not only in defense of your own people, but also in support of alliance operations,” said ATO Military Committee Chairman Admiral Rob Bauer in Riga.

Allied military armored vehicles were also stationed at the monument throughout the day.

On the other hand, in the south, air force fighters also flew over the capital.

Those interested also had the opportunity to see a photo exhibition that tells about Latvia’s path to NATO, participation in international operations, joint training in Latvia and other related topics.

“Thank God we are in a free country, thanks to many people who contributed to this entry, especially Vaira Vīke-Freiberg, thank you,” says Andrejs.

But Dzidra says: “A very happy and very safe feeling.”

On the other hand, an exhibition has been opened in the war museum, which displays several unique historical items that help trace the process of Latvia’s accession to NATO. For example, the NATO flag raised at the NBS headquarters during the ceremony of Latvia’s admission into the alliance, the costume worn at the Vīkes-Freibergaa NATO summit in Prague in 2002, the rostrum of the Riga NATO summit in 2002, video archives and other historical evidence.

The exhibition in the war museum will be on display until August.