Madam Speaker of the Saeima!
Madam Prime Minister!
Ladies and Gentlemen!
Dear musicians, spectators and listeners!
All the people of Latvia and compatriots abroad!
One hundred and seven years ago, Latvia’s independence was proclaimed here. We sometimes like to imagine that those were years when our forefathers stood united, never quarrelled, and tirelessly built Latvia – wasting no time on disagreements and, in their spare moments, joining hands to sing folk songs.
But that is not quite how it was. However, their disagreements and differences became the very foundation of Latvia’s strength. When building a state, various political forces, nationalities, regions and individuals had to take part. How exactly should this be done? Who should form the leadership of the new state, and how? Who would be our allies? The answers to these questions were far from obvious, and many of them were forged in argument. But they were united by a single overriding goal – a free Latvia.
It was the Latvia of Jānis Čakste and Francis Trasuns. The Latvia of Anna Brigadere and Aspazija. The Latvia of Jāzeps Vītols and Kārlis Zāle. The Latvia of their countless contemporaries. And we – all of us – are its continuation. Musicians and artists. Athletes and doctors. Entrepreneurs and activists. Educators and all those who protect us. Adults and children. The Latvia of different generations and different views. Together, we shape our country.
We argue a great deal. And in a democracy, that is normal. In a democracy, one may speak and hear uncomfortable truths. Everyone wants what is good, but that good is not the same for everyone. And that too is normal. When one sees a mountain, what matters is reaching the summit oneself, not blocking the path for others. But the safest and most reliable way upward is together – with close-minded allies and also with people whose views coincide with ours only now and then. Diversity is what holds us together. Just like in a rich, colourful, fragrant meadow, where everything living both competes and supports one another.
Ladies and Gentlemen!
More than thirty years ago, we broke free from the Soviet camp. My thanks go to all those who, at that crucial moment, did not let the opportunity slip past. And later we have continued to seize the right chances at the right time. We boarded the Western train on time. Perhaps even with the very last ticket.
The train does not always move as swiftly and smoothly as we might wish. But it is travelling forward, in the right direction. And we must not pull the emergency brake or lean out of the carriage. That could be dangerous for us and for our country.
Dear people of Latvia!
We are a clever, strong and talented nation. We have won our independence twice. Both Cibiņš and Buņģis live within us, just as Maija and Paija do. We sometimes grumble and complain, but in decisive moments we are capable of unity and hard work. And right now, together, we must strengthen our country. We must learn from the determination and fighting spirit of the Latvian riflemen – from the spirit that Oskars Kalpaks had. More than ever, we need an educated and wise nation – the kind that Juris Alunāns and Krišjānis Barons imagined. We must learn to be enterprising and prosperous, just as Krišjānis Valdemārs wished.
By working together and accepting others, we do not lose ourselves. Yet by refusing to accept what is different, we lose one another – and that is something we cannot afford. Together, we must protect our goal – a free, independent and democratic Latvia.
We must safeguard it responsibly for the generations to come. Therefore, even while grumbling and complaining, we must work. We must strengthen ourselves, rather than belittling others.
Dear friends!
We are rich and strong because we have our Latvia. And Latvia is tended, built and protected by love, not by hatred. And I know that our love for Latvia is deep and strong.
God, bless Latvia!
