‘100 years ago, after long and intense diplomatic efforts, which lasted almost two years, Entente Powers that had won the World War I – the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Italy and Japan – decided to grant Latvia the de iure recognition. On this day Latvia became a full-fledged and equal member of the international community recognised by the international law. It was a historic moment for our nation. It marked the beginning of the Latvian State and an achievement that our founding fathers had dreamt of,’ underlined Andris Teikmanis, Head of the Chancery of the President.
On Monday, 25 January, at 15:30, President of Latvia Egils Levits and Mrs Ingrīda Meierovica will lay flowers at the Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics monument in Tukums old town to pay tribute to the first foreign minister of the Republic of Latvia, remarkable statesman and diplomat who played a key role in de jure recognition of Latvia.
On 26 January, the morning of the international recognition of the Republic of Latvia, at 8:30, flags of Belgium, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, countries that formed the Entente at the time, will be raised in the square of the Riga Castle.
And at 14:00, President of Latvia Egils Levits and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, who will join the event from Paris, will open the special online celebration hosted by Riga Castle. Event Programme includes video greetings from the five Entente countries with President of Italy Sergio Mattarella, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Japan Yoshihide Suga and Prime Minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo, followed by speech by Latvian UN Youth Delegate, Natālija Knipše, and musical performance by pianist Vestards Šimkus. Ministry of Foreign Affairs has created a series of videos about this important historical event, offering participants a unique insight into what led to de iure recognition of the Republic of Latvia by other countries and the significance of this process. Live broadcast/stream in Latvian and English will be available on LSM.lv.
President of Latvia Egils Levits has also invited all Christian churches of Latvia to join the celebration and mark the day and hour when Latvian diplomats in Paris first learned about the de iure recognition of Latvia hundred years ago to ring their bells on 26 January, at 6:00 PM. All biggest Christian congregations of Latvia like Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Old Believers and Baptist church, as well as St. Saviour's Church and Armenian Apostolic Church of Riga, have already confirmed their participation.
Chancery of the President of Latvia invites everyone to take part in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the de iure recognition of the Republic of Latvia by joining special events on www.president.lv, President Levits’ Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts or LSM.lv portal (in Latvian and English).