Europe Day will be celebrated in Latvia with various events

Europe Day will be celebrated in Latvia with various events on Thursday, informs the Press Department of the European Commission (EC) Representation in Latvia.

It is planned that from 12:00 to 16:00 the orientation game “See Europe” jointly organized by the three Riga State Gymnasiums and the European Union (EU) House will take place, in which everyone interested is invited to participate. There are five thematic checkpoints in the orienteering game, one each at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd gymnasiums of Riga State, one checkpoint each at the EU House and at the Saeima.

Game participants will receive a game participant’s card at each checkpoint with ten tasks about EU enlargement, the euro, European values, culture and Latvia in the EU. Answering each of the ten questions will earn you stamps.

Both children and adults are invited to participate in the orienteering game. Information about the orientation game route, rules will be available on the game card and at each of the game checkpoints. Every participant of the game is invited to participate in the draw for the game prize by submitting a completed game card to the EU house, Aspazijas boulevard 28, Riga. Information about the winners of the draw will be published on the Facebook page of the EU home social media.

On the other hand, the goal of the Great European Hour is to include all Latvian educational institutions in the celebration of Europe Day and the 20th anniversary of Latvia’s accession to the EU. The lesson will be held on Europe Day from 9 am to 9.40 am. You can participate in the class by following the live broadcast on the “Delfi” portal, on the “esmaja.lv” website and on the “Facebook” profiles of the EU House and the EC Representation. All Latvian educational institutions, as well as anyone interested, are invited to participate in the class.

The campaign “Back to school/Back to university 2024” continues for the 16th year. During it, experts from various fields are invited to go to educational institutions and share their knowledge and experience, talking about the current affairs of the EU in various fields, as well as learning about different professions and skills.

The Saeima invites you to celebrate Latvia’s 20th anniversary in the EU together, gathering at the Saeima building at 12:45 p.m. There will be an opportunity to enjoy European national dishes prepared by the embassies, treat yourself to a festive cake, participate in the erudition game and spend time for informal conversations.

The National Cinema Center invites you to free screenings in Riga cinemas, which are included in the “Europa Cinemas” network of European cinemas. In honor of 20 years since Latvia was admitted to the EU, and ten years since the Latvian film industry has been supported by the European Foundation “Creative Eiropa Media”, cinemas will show Latvian films made with the support of the foundation: at 18:00 in the cinema “Kino bize”, Riga, you will be able to watch The 2018 documentary film “Time Bridges” will be shown in the “K.Sun” cinema in Riga at 5 p.m. The 2016 documentary film “General Plan” will be shown at 6 p.m. “K.Sunī” will be able to watch the 2016 documentary film “Ukrainian sheriffs”, while at 20:00 – the 2019 feature film “Jelgava ’94”.

The Latvian Civic Alliance will host the Democracy Festival on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Participation in the festival is free of charge, and it will take place in AB Dam, Riga, in the art center “Noass”. On the Democracy Day, the morning event will start with waffles and a social economy breakfast. A discussion about civil society with candidates for the European Parliament will take place at the open table. Lunch will be served with a political demonstration, an election simulation with the creation of a joint rasola.

The “Gloria” concert will be held at the Riga Anglican Church of the Holy Redeemer at 7 p.m. The program includes the cantata “Gloria” by the French composer Francis Poulenc, the song cycle “Bezvainības dzijes” by Aivars Kalējas with the poetry of William Blake, the compositions of Imantas Kalniņš and Erik Ešenvald. The mixed choir “Jasmīnas koris” of the Northern Riga cultural association VEF Kulturas pils, soprano Marlēna Keine, and Līga Dejus will take part in the concert.

For the fifth year, the Ministry of Welfare will organize an online erudition game for 10th to 11th grade students to test and supplement knowledge about the EU, its values ​​and diversity, the welfare sector and the contribution of EU funds to it. This year, the participants will be divided and evaluated into six groups: Vidzeme, Kurzeme, Zemgale, Latgale, Selia and the territory of the city of Riga. The six best classes in all of Latvia will receive a gift card worth 500 euros to pay for a class bonding event of their choice. The class with the best result in Latvia will receive an additional 500 euros.

In the common courtyard of Līvāni 1st secondary school and the Culture Center, in cooperation with several organizations, the European courtyard festival will be celebrated on Thursday. At the event with the tents of almost 15 different organizations, children, young people and city residents will have the opportunity to learn about various current events, watch improvisational theater, engage in interactive activities, participate in contests and discussions and watch various performances. On the other hand, the youngest viewers will have the opportunity to delve into the atmosphere of the European Parliament elections through a theatrical-educational event.

On the other hand, the discussion “20 years in the European Union – achievements and future plans” will take place in the Rēzekne Central Library in cooperation with the East Latgale center of “Europe Direct”. Children and young people are invited to the Rēzekne Children’s Library, where the creative workshop “European symbols for their own hands” and the board game afternoon “I, you, we – Europe” will take place.

The “Liepāja 2027” sailing campaign will take place in the Kurzeme region, which will take place in Liepāja, Southern Kurzeme and Kuldīga counties. In the campaign, communities of residents are invited to decorate their sails. On Europe Day at 6 p.m., the sails are planned to go on a common journey to 2027, when Liepāja will become the European capital of culture.

On Thursday, the President of the Republic of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, will visit the Gulbene region, in the center of “Europe Direct” Gulbene. It is expected that the president will familiarize himself with the activities of the center, participate in the activity “Vote for your closest European value”, and also participate in the “Handshake for Europe” campaign.

On the other hand, on May 10, the Staicele city library will host a discussion “From 500 landfills to a circular economy, or what 20 years in the European Union have changed in our economy”, the discussion will be led by Ārika Legzdiņa.

Europe Day, celebrated annually on May 9, is dedicated to peace and unity in Europe. This date marks the anniversary of the historic Schuman Declaration. On May 9, 1950, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberts Šumanis came out with the Schumans Declaration. In his declaration, he presented the idea of ​​establishing a new type of political cooperation in Europe, which would make warfare between European nations unthinkable. Schuman’s proposal is considered the beginning of the current EU.