One of the main reasons for tension in Latvian society is a number of issues of social memory, for example, about the Second World War and the Soviet occupation, according to the project of the Development Plan for a United and Civically Active Society for 2024-2027 prepared by the Ministry of Culture (KM).
KM notes that shared memories of past events and their collective recollection are a prerequisite for creating in people a sense of closeness to both their country and the European Union.
The plan emphasizes that understanding history is one of the factors that influence how people perceive and understand different values. In order to promote the formation of a unifying understanding of social memory in the society, KM has committed to organize at least two events a year about the repressions carried out by the communist regime against the people of Latvia during the Second World War.
It is planned to implement at least one commemorative event every year in memory of the victims of the Holocaust and in memory of the people of Latvia who saved Jews in the Second World War. It is also planned to implement at least one commemorative event every year in memory of the victims of the Roma Holocaust during the Second World War.
KM is committed to promoting the recognition and use of various publicly available educational materials, involving experts in the field of history and professionals from other fields, as well as providing at least 12 publications each year that explain historical facts based on evidence-based information.
By 2027, it is planned to increase the proportion of the population who celebrate the day of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia on November 18 by four percentage points, compared to 2017, when 72% of the population celebrated this holiday. Also, it is planned to increase by four percentage points the proportion of the population who celebrate the day of the Declaration of Independence of Latvia on May 4. It was celebrated by 29% of the population in 2017.
With the activities of the plan, it is intended to reduce by 2.3 percentage points the proportion of the population who believe that in 1940 Latvia made a voluntary decision to join the USSR. In 2017, 22.3% of the population expressed this opinion.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced the public consultation of the development plan for a united and civically active society for 2024-2027.
The plan has been prepared to ensure the fulfillment of the goals and tasks set in the development guidelines for a united and civically active society for 2021-2027, as well as in the National Development Plan for 2021-2027. Its directions of action are interconnected, defining inclusive participation as a general principle of implementation, as well as setting cross-cutting priorities that apply to all measures of the plan – national identity, Latvian language, trust, solidarity and cooperation.
The plan envisages action at all levels of government – national, regional and local. The tasks defined in the plan are aimed at ensuring that, as a result of the implementation of a cohesive public policy, the strengthening of national identity and sense of belonging, inclusive participation and raising the level of civic knowledge, a high-quality and safe space for democratic participation and information is strengthened, the participation of foreign citizens living in Latvia in society is promoted, as well as reduced negative stereotypes-based attitude towards different groups of society.
