Honourable Madam Prime Minister,
Honourable Madam Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Members of Parliament,
Honourable Mr Levits,
Esteemed participants of the Barricades,
conference participants,
distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I believe that today, more clearly than ever, demonstrates that freedom must never be taken for granted. At this very moment, we are acutely aware of how fragile it is, and of the fact that it requires our constant attention, every single day.
For almost four years now, a war has been raging right next to us. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine reminds us of something we in fact know very well – freedom, democracy, and freedom of expression are not self-evident truths.
The time we are living through today strongly echoes the events of 35 years ago, when the Barricades were erected. Back then, there were no illusions that freedom was guaranteed, and the responsibility for defending it rested squarely on our own shoulders.
In a sense, every era has its own barricades.
At that time, we were protecting a very tangible physical space – bridges and buildings – but at the same time we were creating and safeguarding a space of spiritual freedom. Today, alongside our everyday efforts to strengthen our security capabilities, we must once again build new barricades. These are the barricades of resilience – in our thinking and in our sense of responsibility. For today, the main struggle is also a struggle for our minds, and within our minds. It is there that decisions are made about what we believe, whom we trust, and where we draw the line against manipulation. Our resilience is tested through attempts to divide us, to undermine trust in the state, and to erode our sense of security, our independence, and our freedom.
It is precisely the strength of these barricades of resilience that determines how vulnerable we may become to various kinds of attacks.
In this regard, I would like to emphasise the decisive role of the information space and the media. Without an honest reflection of reality, it is impossible to take reasonable, development-oriented decisions. Without a shared understanding of the facts, unified action is not possible. And without unified action, we cannot defend ourselves.
Unity does not mean thinking alike. Unity means standing firmly together in defence of our core values. It means distinguishing what is essential from what is secondary, and understanding what truly matters at a given moment. It means being together not only on days of celebration and remembrance, but also in everyday life – in decisions, in discussions, and in the way we treat one another.
An integral part of our security infrastructure is free, professional, and independent media. Therefore, what we sometimes witness – intimidation of journalists, questioning of their work, and deliberate sowing of distrust – is not a genuine exchange of opinions. These are security risks.
In a sense, these barricades of resilience cannot be sustained without all of us, without the active involvement of people. And here I would like to speak in particular about young people. Because they are taking up the baton from those who, 35 years ago, came together to defend Latvia.
Latvia’s young people are engaged, they take responsibility, and they act – by participating in public processes, by joining the National Defence Service, or simply by actively expressing their views. We see this in the Youth Guard movement, in schools, in entrepreneurship, and within communities across the country.
I believe our young people are doing great things, and they do so with a strong sense of responsibility. Yet it must be said that while we often listen to young people, we sometimes make decisions without them. We speak about the future, but important issues are still occasionally resolved within a narrow circle. That is why I think this is also the time to talk about how we can involve young people more fully in decision-making, while remembering our history and reflecting on our past. And often the question is not whether they are ready for this, but whether we are ready for it.
If we want resilient barricades, if we want our future, then young people must not remain merely spectators at these barricades, they must be among those who stand on them. Among the active participants. With real involvement. With trust. With genuine opportunities to influence decisions.
Our generation, and here I must say that I belong to the generation that remembers the barricades, as many of you present here do, has given Latvia memory and experience. The younger generation brings energy, momentum, and the ability to see new opportunities. Only together do these qualities give Latvia direction.
Time and again, we have proven through action that we are capable of standing up for our freedom. Today, too, we must remain resilient – in our thinking, in our sense of responsibility, and in the choices we make.
Because the barricades have never been only about a single event in the distant winter of 1991. They have always been about the ability to safeguard freedom for everyone in their own time and in their own place.
And this is our shared time.
