Today, marking the 100 years of presidency of Latvia, 21m-long open-air exhibition was opened on the square by the Riga Castle. It tells the history and various stages of development of the institution of presidency of Latvia, with particular focus on continuity of Latvian State and importance of democratic traditions.
‘We are celebrating the centenary of our constitution, Satversme, this year. The first president of Latvia was elected as soon as constitution came to force. In a parliamentary democracy, institution of presidency is designed to assure the continuity and sustainability of the state,’ President of Latvia Egils Levits said at the opening of exhibition. ‘This exhibition also showcases the story of two key figures you would normally not find in the presidential gallery. Pauls Kalniņš and Jāzeps Rancāns were acting presidents who served as presidents during the occupation and ensured the continuity of Latvian State,’ President said.
‘Presidents of Latvia are the main theme of this exhibition. For more than a century their values, firm stance and position shaped the way our nation lived and lives today,’ Sarmīte Ēlerte, the Head of the Office of the Presidential Advisers, Adviser to the President of Latvia on Cultural Policy, said at the opening. Exhibition strives to juxtapose three dimensions. ‘First, the responsibilities of the president defined in Satversme and other laws. Secondly, personal traits of presidents. And, thirdly, challenges that each president faced during their term,’ she added.
Open-air exhibition aims to attract a wide variety of audiences, but it will be specifically interesting for pupils and teachers for whom this rich source of information would benefit learning more about our Latvian State. Open-air exhibition ‘100 years of presidency of Latvia’ on the Riga Castle Square will be open until 2 December. It is likely to reopen in spring of 2023.
This open-air exhibition has been co-produced by Doctor of History Gatis Krūmiņš. It is based on information and data from 44 different institution.
