From the spring of 2022, IAC has been actively engaging in providing support to the civilians of Ukraine, their families and young people by organising activities for acquaintance of Latvian language, Latvia and support of various kind. IAC searches for various funds to provide the Ukrainian war refugees with the possibility to feel better and settle in. This is already the project number five for this target group, its goal is to implement a programme of cultural orientation courses and events of integration which would contribute to integration of the civilians of Ukraine into the Latvian society and cooperation with the representatives of the local communities.
The project is planned to include three mutually interactive activities involving 285 civilians of Ukraine (including 90 young people) and 100 representatives of local community (including 20 young people), 385 participants in total.
- Programme of cultural orientation courses;
-Cooperation and cultural events contributing to cooperation between the civilians of Ukraine and hosting society;
- Adaptation measures and un consultations of young people.
All this will contribute to integration of the civilians of Ukraine into the Latvian society, improvement of understanding of the culture and history of Latvia, public administration, local language, values of the society and involvement in the labour market. Gained practical experience in the fields of cultural history, culture and cognition of art, and receipt of practical support for the adaptation in Latvian schools. Promoted mutual communication between the civilians of Ukraine and local residents, gained experience of cooperation.
Measures of the project “To live in Latvia 2024” (2024.LV/UKR_KO/016/L13) are financially supported by the Society Integration Foundation using the assigned state budget funds.
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Ukrainian students concluded their study semester of Latvian language with a culinary master class at the city restaurant "Lapsas māja". Students who have been involved in our events and language lessons since August, will gather there on a cozy Saturday afternoon, December 14. For 4 months Ukrainian students studied in person and remotely twice a week with a support of their teacher Maija Berķe. In addition to learning Latvian, students participated in a variety of activities to practice the language. In the evaluation questionnaires, we read that both lessons and events have been invaluable in students' school life. High marks were also given for the atmosphere at the learning events, and almost all respondents noted that they would like to participate in events organized by IAC in the future. [Photo gallery]
At the "Lapsas māja" there was an opportunity to indulge in gastronomic activities and pleasures - we prepared a delicious lasagna and berry muffins together. Here, we all received New Year's gifts and certificates of learning.
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In December 2024 cultural orientation courses were concluded. More than 90 Ukrainian civilians participated in the course program. Participation in the program helped them integrate into Latvian society and better understand Latvia's history, culture, and values. 7 groups completed the program, covering topics such as Latvian history, culture, values, state governance, the rule of law, democracy, opportunities for participation, the role of the Latvian language in professional live and everyday situations, as well as topics on entrepreneurship, extracurricular education, society, and daily life. The content of the program has been adapted to each group's profile, taking into consideration participants' capabilities, needs, interests, and proficiency in the Latvian language. The program has been delivered through seminars as well as visits to museums and historical sites.
When evaluating their participation in the cultural orientation courses, participants mentioned that the most significant benefit had been strengthening their relationships with the local community and enhancing their knowledge of how to engage in community life. They also gained a broader understanding of the existing opportunities for participation. When asked what kind of integration activities would be needed in the future, participants suggested that the program should have organized meetings and discussions with representatives from various professions in Latvia, entrepreneurs, and people from creative industries.
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In August, during the cooperation workshop, both Ukrainian and Latvian participants highly appreciated the opportunity to get to know each other better and expressed a desire to continue sharing their skills. We offered this opportunity on December 7th, when the project participants gathered in the cozy Sauleskalns kitchen to participate in a Ukrainian and Latvian cooking workshop. video
The workshop participants were welcomed by an experienced baker Ieva Meijere, who had already prepared the dough for traditional sourdough rye bread in a large bowl. The participants shaped their own loaves and decorated them with various seeds. Once the bread was placed in the oven to bake, we learned more about bread-baking traditions and created our own sourdough and aromatic leaven for baking rye bread at home in the future. While the bread was baking, under the guidance of the Ukrainian participants, we jointly prepared borscht and deruni – potato pancakes. As the air filled with the fragrant aromas of soup and freshly baked bread, all the participants enjoyed the meal they had prepared together.
The time allocated for the workshop passed unnoticed, the afternoon was spent not only in shared work but also in heartfelt conversations and songs. In their evaluation, participants highlighted both the valuable time spent and the sense of closeness gained, as well as the new skills they would bring to their families, along with the opportunity to practice the Latvian language in an informal setting.
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Project participants spent October, November, and December immersed in the world of theater: through various performances, we explored the diversity of Latvian culture.
Lilija Lipora's play "23 Chromosomes" at the independent theater "Dirty Deal Teatro" engaged the audience with the universal language of dance, while also demanding an attentive, emotionally intelligent observer. In their feedback, the project participants emphasized that this type of performance was a new experience for them, and they felt that the play indirectly portrayed Latvia as an open and sensitive society.
Based on Māris Bērziņš' novel, the dramatized version of "The Taste of Lead" at the Latvian National Theatre told the story of a young person's fate in Riga during World War II. The scenography creatively used historical photographs, press publications, and film footage, drawing a historically accurate picture and creating a powerful emotional resonance. After the performance, the participants highlighted a deepened understanding of Latvian history and expressed their satisfaction with their ability to follow the events on stage in Latvian.
At the Latvian National Opera, we watched the ballet "Futile Attention", featuring Latvian prima ballerina Elza Leimane in the lead role. The humorous, captivating performance appealed to both children and adults. Several project participants were visiting the Latvian National Opera for the first time and appreciated not only the impressive quality of the performance but also the grandeur and historical aura of the White House.
At the "Eastern Border" Theatre Club, we watched the Italian comedy "Two Dozen Red Roses," where humor and satire were expressed in concise and witty dialogues. The funny, psychologically tangled situations in which the play's characters found themselves were understandable to everyone.
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In November and December, we continue Latvian language lessons for Ukrainian civilians of school age. The 100-hour course will conclude in December. During the course, the students also have the opportunity to participate in integration activities at the Great Song Festival Stage, a cooking masterclass at restaurant "Lapsas Māja", and watch Latvian films "Sisters" and "BUM!" at the K.Suns cinema. These events aim to encourage the use of Latvian in daily life and help the participants integrate into a Latvian environment, which is often unfamiliar to Ukrainian civilians. The activities also offer opportunities for leisure and help foster interpersonal relationships.
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On October 5th, Ukrainians and Latvians came together to explore a small part of Latvia – we went on a trip to Saldus.
Accompanied by a guide, we took a walk through the center of Saldus, strolled through the city streets, and visited some of the most popular sightseeing attractions. We visited the Saldus St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is featured in the famous painting "From the Church" or "After the Service" by the painter Janis Rozentāls.
We climbed the church tower and enjoyed the picturesque autumn view of the sunny old town of Saldus. In the poet Māris Čaklais square, we admired the fountain "Honey Drop in Kurzeme" by sculptor Kārlis Īle and cuddled a cat who was basking in the sun beneath the sign "Saldus Honorary Citizen." In the Kapeller House, we explored the beautiful rooms, examined the exposition of the historical doctor's office in the basement, and took part in a small Latvian folk dance masterclass with the folk group "Strops."
In the afternoon, at the Saldus Food Combine's candy factory, we tasted freshly made milk candies called "Gotiņa", learned how they are produced, and even tried wrapping candies ourselves. At the end of the excursion, we received a huge boost of inspiration as we met textile artist Baiba Rītere in her workshop, where we admired her vibrant textiles.
In their evaluation of the excursion, the participants concluded that Latvia – although small in size – is remarkably beautiful and diverse and that creative, enterprising people have lived here both in the past and in the present.
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With the beginning of autumn, the participants of the "Living in Latvia 2024" project started to explore Latvian cultural phenomena. In September, we watched the new animated film "Straume" by Gints Zilbalods in several screenings – a sensation in Latvian cinema, which has already been awarded at the Cannes, Annecy, and Melbourne international film festivals. The story about a cat – a loner who finds refuge in a small boat along with other animals after floods destroy his home – is multi-layered, and both adults and young viewers found something relevant for themselves in it. The youngest viewer was only 3 years old!
After watching the film, participants shared their reflections, touching on the story, emphasizing the importance of friendship and cooperation in difficult situations, the technique, and highlighting the convincing quality of the animation. They also discussed the Latvian cultural landscape in general, concluding that Latvia produces not only wonderful feature films but also animated films. The viewers wished the creative team of "Straume" many new ideas in the future!
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In August, the project has gathered speed – we actively involve the civilians of Ukraine in cooperation events together with the residents of Latvia.
As of 19 August, young people have started supplementing their knowledge – we provide support to the Ukrainians for studies in Latvian schools. By the mid-December, 40 young people will be provided with opportunity to consult onsite twice a week and remotely in the amount of up to 100 academic hours. We are undergoing intense studies in the first two weeks of August; we manage to refresh what we have previously learnt in Latvian language and grammar before the school year starts, and we also start going deeper into terminology and texts that young people will need in the lessons of history and other subjects, and there is also time for independent task in the streets of Riga.
On 20 and 21 August, we organised cooperation workshop of the residents of Ukraine and Latvia at the conference and leisure complex "Ratnieki". Workshop gave an opportunity to the representatives of both communities to get acquainted with each other in person, and to learn and reflect together. Participants gained valuable and very different findings both by cooperating in small groups and by listening to examples given by psychologist Nikola Dzina in her lecture on communication within the inter-cultural context. Programme of the workshop allowed to enjoy also the cultural offer: to become acquainted with a Latvian folk wisdom from the most ancient times to this day during a concert lecture and to master steps of Latvian traditional dances and plays during a class. In addition to this, we offered to the residents of Ukraine an opportunity to learn about history of Latvia in the Cēsis New Castle, to go for a guided tour in the picturesque Cēsis Old Town and have a look through the backdoor of a family business. Participants of the cooperation workshop returned to their daily routines full of reflection, enriched with fresh impressions and inspired. Photo from the cooperation workshop.
On 29 August, young people of Ukraine and Latvia participated in an adaptation event at the Mežaparks Great Bandstand and the Song Festival Room. It was an insight into the tradition of the Latvian Song Festival in its real and modern venue – bandstand, where young people had an opportunity to find out, explore, and assess the place where the world’s greatest choir sings, where majority of the residents of Latvia come together during the Song Festival, and where space, sound and tradition merge into one river of time from 1873 to this day. We thank the heads of visitor affairs Edīte and Kristiāns for giving the opportunity to take the stage and check acoustics at the Great Bandstand, tasks at the Song Festival exposition, listening chairs and Community Room. A day with positive emotions and opportunities to make friends. We part after the event with sincere good-byes. Meet at the following events!
Thanks to the photographer Inese Kalniņa, photographs are available here
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Planning of activities and implementation of the programme of cultural orientation courses have actively commenced in June and July. The programme contains topics related to history, culture and values of Latvia; public administration and justice, democracy, possibilities of participation; role of Latvian language at work and in daily life; entrepreneurship, interest-related education and social life. In July, teachers have conducted classes on these topics already in three groups of the civilians of Ukraine.
Cooperation workshop and excursion to Vidzeme are to be organised at the end of August. The civilians of Ukraine are going to become acquainted with Cēsis and the vicinity of Sigulda. Consultations related to Latvian language are to be commenced at the end of August and continue by the end of December. In August, young people from Ukraine and Latvia jointly visit the Mežaparks Great Bandstand, become acquainted with the exposition of the Song and Dance Festival and engage in joint activities in the Community space.
Project team:
Iveta Verse (Iveta Vērse)– Director of EDC, Project Manager
Danute Grīnfelde - Coordinator of cultural education activities
Linda Klusa (Linda Kluša) – Coordinator of student support activities
Liga Punina (Līga Puniņa) – Target Group Coordinator
Aija Rusina (Aija Rusiņa) – Financial Coordinator and Human Resources Specialist