Dear Festival participants! Viewers and listeners!
A heartfelt welcome to you all at this festival. A festival where nothing matters more than our future. A festival that inspires.
Young people!
All of Latvia has gathered here. Proud Latvia. Spirited Latvia. Simple Latvia. Warm-hearted, witty, and resounding Latvia. And all of strong Latvia is here today.
Here – songs will ring out. Here – youth will rejoice. Here we will all take pride in our Latvia! Today, even the sun rejoices with us!
But the Song and Dance Festival is not just about this time and place. It is not confined to this stage.
The Song Festival – first and foremost – is about the participants. The Song Festival is about the chief conductors and leaders. The Song Festival is about the parents and grandparents, who worry and care deeply about every little detail.
And ultimately, the Song Festival is about the listeners, who sing along and share in the experience with all their hearts.
The Song Festival – it is the volunteers, who have supported both the cheerful and the weary participants. The Song Festival – it is all of us, and that is why today all of Latvia is rejoicing!
Thank you to every single person who has contributed to making this festival possible!
In this festival new dreams are born, and love is rising. Joy and pride arise – joy and pride for our people, for our country, for our Latvia.
It brings me special joy to see the very youngest spectators and listeners here in the Sidraba birze.
The littlest supporters might burst out laughing, cry, or let out a shout. They might suddenly break into dance. And that is perfectly fine. In fact – it is wonderful. Because these children are the reason we must cherish and protect our culture – and pass it down from generation to generation. We all know: our festival is for the sake of our future.
Young people, children, all those present here today!
You are our future. And during this festival week, you have shown that our future is in safe hands.
God bless Latvia!
