President of Latvia: our country is a safe place for living and learning

On 22 March, President of Latvia Egils Levits visited Riga Ukrainian Secondary School where he met with school’s management and pupils, including Ukrainian refugee children.

Address by the President of Latvia Egils Levits to teachers and children:

‘I am deeply honoured and delighted to be here today.

Ukrainian Secondary School is the first school in Riga to take in refugees fleeing this war. For those who have never encountered such horror, this is a new experience. There are many people in Latvia who have never experienced such trauma. The whole Latvia wishes you well. I hope you can feel it.

For those of you who have arrived here in past four weeks, this is a period of readjustment, getting to know the new environment, classmates and teachers. And the dreadful memories you have brought with yourself to Latvia will not stop to haunt you for a while. But you can count on your teachers and everyone here for help.

Latvia is a safe place for living, fun, learning, working, and just being.

With all its courage, the Ukrainian nation is currently fighting for its land and its statehood. Your relatives, friends, acquaintances, and people whom you know, are currently defending not only Ukraine, but also Latvia and our values. They fight for the whole of Europe and the world justice.

Latvia has offered all possible help to Ukraine, including military, economic and political assistance. We have sent a clear signal to other countries: we need to help Ukraine. We, the NATO, European Union and USA. The whole honest world stands with Ukraine. And Latvia is among those countries that have offered substantial help to Ukraine.

Young children from Ukraine, who are studying here now, were forced to flee their country. Hundred years ago, Latvians were forced to seek refuge in Ukraine. Several tens of thousands of people lived in Ukraine after revolutions in Russia and even took part in liberation of Ukraine. Unfortunately, Ukraine eventually lost this battle, and most Latvians had to return home. Latvians and Ukrainians have remained very close ever since.

Riga Ukrainian Secondary School was established around the same time as we restored our national independence, it became a school in 1991, although it was founded already in 1989.

Latvia is a democratic state that treats all ethnic groups and cultures with the same kind of dignity. Ukrainians represent one of the largest ethnic minorities in Latvia.

Now that you are living in Latvia, it is important for you to also learn the Latvian language, while continuing your studies of Ukrainian language and culture.

While Ukraine continues to defend its statehood, its land,  its is important to keep the nation united in Ukraine and in Latvia. We stand with Ukraine. We all stand by Ukraine.

National aspirations motivate us to fight for our statehood. It is our desire to build our own nation, have our own state and fight for it when we face threats.’