On 7 August, President Edgars Rinkēvičs met with the Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis at the Riga Castle. During the meeting, the officials discussed the XXVII Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festivals, the current financing model of these festivals, including the remuneration policy for the leaders of amateur and professional choirs and dance collectives, as well as media policy issues.
‘I would like to say a big thank you to all the organisers and participants of the Latvian Song and Dance Festival who made this year's 150th anniversary so special for everyone watching and listening. Now is a good time to take stock and summarise the findings of the preparation and staging of the festival. This will provide a good basis for the preparations for the next Song and Dance Festival,’ said E. Rinkēvičs.
During the meeting, the President of Latvia raised the issue of strengthening the information space in the Latvian border region, especially in Latgale, and support for regional press publications. ‘It is particularly important now that every Latvian citizen has access to high-quality, independent, and reliable media content at the national, regional, and local level. This is especially true for regional media in the border regions of our country, especially in Latgale. Therefore, the responsible institutions should look for ways and support mechanisms that would strengthen and ensure the functioning of regional media in the future,’ emphasised President Rinkēvičs.
