Centenary celebration of the Presidential Institution of Latvia on 14 November is coming soon. Presidential Chancery has prepared a special 100th anniversary programme that helps explore the history and development of the presidential institution, the role of presidents in ensuring continuity of the Latvian State and strengthening of democratic traditions in Latvia.
‘This year Latvia marks hundred years of its constitution, Satversme. The first president of Latvia was appointed as soon as Satversme was finalised and adopted. Presidents of parliamentary democracies are vital for continuity and sustainability of the state,’ President of Latvia Egils Levits believes.
On 12 November, at 14:00, youngsters will come together at the Riga Castle for discussion with President of Latvia ‘How easy is it to be a president in democracy?’. Egils Levits and Valdis Zatlers (President of Latvia during 2007–2011) and contestants of ‘Put yourself in President’s shoes and write the anniversary message to the people’ competition will discuss what it means to be the head of the state in a democracy and what is the role of presidents of Latvia from the public perspective and the constitutional perspective. Discussion will also explore what presidents are allowed and expected to do. Discussion will be moderated by Jānis Kronis, actor of independent theatre company ‘Kvadrifrons’ (Quadraphone). Livestream will be available on webpage of Presidential Chancery www.president.lv and President Levits’ social media accounts on Youtube, Twitter and Facebook.
On 12 November, at 17:00, Riga Castle will open its doors to visitors who want to see a concert-story ‘Our own. Within’. It is a combination of art, songs and video stories of the first 100 years of Latvian presidency, a story of free state of Latvia and times when free speech and expression were prohibited. Concert will be broadcast live on public digital media platform LSM.lv and later on that night as recording on Channel 1 of the Latvian Television at 22:35.
On 14 November, President of Latvia Egils Levits and Head of the Presidential Chancery Andris Teikmanis will open the digital exhibition of orders signed by pre-war presidents and reveal portraits of acting presidents of Latvia Pauls Kalniņš (1944–1945) and Jāzeps Rancāns (1947–1969) painted by Ritums Ivanovs at the Riga Castle.
‘100 years of the Presidential institution’, an exhibition on the Riga Castle square open until the 2 December, offers an insight into how values, stance and position of Latvian presidents shaped the way our country lives and lived for the past 100 years.
Satversme, the constitution of Latvia, was adopted by Constitutional Assembly on 15 February 1922. On 14 November, the first Saeima (parliament) appointed Jānis Čakste the first President of Latvia and the institution of presidency of Latvia was born.