HEADLINES
Latvia's Foreign Minister opens conference on protection of minorities' rights On 29 November 2005, at the Reitern's House in Riga, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Artis Pabriks, opened the conference on the implementation of the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities took effect as of 1 February 1998 and was ratified in Latvia on 6 June 2005. The Latvian Foreign Minister had set the ratification of the convention as one of his priorities. At the conference, the representatives from a number of countries shared their experience of implementing the Framework's Convention for the Protection of National Minorities in the Baltic States. The conference was organized by the Information Office of the Council of Europe, the Latvian Centre for Human Rights and Ethnic Studies, the Human Rights Institute of the University of Latvia in conjunction with the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration. Invited to participate in the conference were representatives from the minority non-governmental organizations, foreign diplomats, as well as members of the Saeima (the Latvian parliament) and representatives from the ministries. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Current News (28.11.2005) Implementation of project to promote ethnic understanding The Rezekne City Council, in cooperation with the National Cultural Associations and Organisations Union has started to implement the project Multiplication of the Rezekne Ethnic Understanding and Correlation Model in Latvia. The project aim is to develop an informative campaign about the culture and traditions of national minorities living in the Rezekne region and promulgate it to the residents of Latvia. One of the project's activities is the creation and implementation of an informative campaign in the Latvian electronic mass media about national minority organisations in Rezekne and an ethnic understanding and correlation model of the city. It is also planned to publish information about Ukrainian, Polish Belarussian, Latgallian, Russian and Jewish cultural associations, national traditions and language in the regional newspapers, and to develop and distribute presentation materials to national cultural associations. The city of Rezekne has distinct multi-cultural features. Almost half the residents are of Russian nationality, 43% are Latvians, and the remaining national content comprised of Ukrainians, Poles, Belarussians and Jews. Project manager Inara Groce explains that the uniqueness of Rezekne lies in the fact that people of many nationalities and beliefs there live in friendship and cooperation with each other, and as a result this model could usefully be demonstrated to other residents elsewhere in Latvia. The project is supported by the EU Phare 2003 Society Integration Programme. LETA (29.11.2005)
Integration promotion project implemented in Rezekne and Ludza districts A project has been launched in the Rezekne and Ludza districts to initiate local activists in the promotion of integration. This project is yet another step by the local municipalities towards the integration of people of different nationalities living in Latvia, and their involvement in the social and political life of the State and district. The project Initiation of Local Activists into the Promotion of Integration has been developed by Rezekne District Council, and has gained support from the Latvian Society Integration Foundation. During the ten months of the project's implementation, the most actively interested people in local municipalities will obtain the necessary skills to create local municipality newspapers. Local journalists will attend computer classes, and the poetess Anna Rancane will present a course to improve their literary language and style. In addition, an experience - exchange visit to a publishing house in a neighbouring district will be organised. The final result will be the creation of 76 local newspapers to reflect events taking place in the local municipality, district, region and State. In order to attract as wide a readership as possible, and inform local residents of various activities which may be of interest, the newspapers will be published in the Latvian and Russian languages. LETA (30.11.2005)
Cooperation of Latvia and Lithuania in national minority and diaspora support issues On 28 November 2005, the Head of the Secretariat of the Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, Kristine Vagnere, and the Director General of the Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad of the Lithuanian government, Antanas Petrauskas, signed a cooperation agreement on the exchange of information and experience between both countries regarding the issues of national minorities, promotion of tolerance, and support to nationals abroad. During the meeting, the Lithuanian representatives informed those present of the activities of the Department of National Minorities and Lithuanians Living Abroad, and the Lithuanian Roma Integration Programme, the aim of which is to integrate the Roma people in modern society, while preserving their traditions and ethnic identity. A similar work group has also been formed by the Secretariat, which is working on development of a Roma programme, and in the near future it is planned to submit the programme for public comment. During the meeting, issues relating to nationals living abroad were also discussed. The Lithuanian representatives were informed of the Support Programme of Latvian Diaspora for 2004-2009. The Lithuanian participants then described activities to support Lithuanian nationals. LETA (29.11.2005) Public discussion about Roma children organised by Education Initiative Centre On 30 November 2005, a public discussion about Roma children in schools was held in Valmiera. Interested persons were invited to participate in the discussion, organised as part of the EU Phare Grant Programme Promotion of Society Integration in Latvia project Roma in the Local Society and in School. During the meeting, representatives of the Education Initiative Centre screened a video-film Roma Child in Welcoming School, and displayed photo materials of project activities, and other materials relating to Roma integration projects, for example, Roma Identity in Multicultural School, and children's books in the Latvian and Roma languages. Roma representatives also participated in the discussion, describing their experiences. The role of education in development of the Roma problems was emphasised at the meeting. The project Roma in the Local Society and in School is implemented with the financial support of the European Union, the Latvian government and twelve local municipalities of Latvia. LETA (29.11.2005) Helping disabled national minority representatives and "non-citizens" fit into society In order to improve the knowledge of national minority representatives and non-citizens with disabilities about their rights, the Organisation of people with disabilities and their friends, Apeirons, plans to promote the integration of disabled people into mainstream society. While engaged on previous projects, the organisations discovered that national minority representatives with disabilities are very badly informed about their rights and social guarantees. To help inform these people about their rights, and to promote their integration in society, Apeirons has launched a project Disability Unites!, in which various activities will be organised. Examples of such activities include promoting the involvement of national minority leaders having disabilities in the formulation of national policy, and promoting the naturalisation of "non-citizens" with disabilities, by providing appropriate information. The project is being implemented with the assistance of funding from the EU Phare Programme. BNS (02.10.2005) Plan to establish a "Polish House" in Riga The Latvian Polish Union plans to establish a "Polish House" in Riga. Union representatives revealed this initiative on 30 November, during their meeting with the Latvian Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, Ainars Latkovskis, and the Ambassador of Poland to Latvia, Maciej Klimczak. Mr. Latkovskis supported the idea of a "Polish House", indicating that Polish People in Latvia are active, united and loyal to the State; they attend Polish schools and cooperate with the Integration Secretariat. The Polish Ambassador was supportive of the idea conceptually. LETA (30.11.2005) Celebration of International Tolerance Day in Latvia On 16 November 2005, Latvia celebrated International Day for Tolerance, organised by the Secretariat of the Latvian Special Assignments Minister for Social Integration, in conjunction with the European Commission campaign For Diversity. Against Discrimination. and other state and public organisations. Seminars, discussions and other events were organised throughout Latvia. Schoolchildren had the opportunity to visit the Riga Jewish Community Synagogue, and the Latvian Minister for Special Assignments for Society Integration Affairs, Ainars Latkovskis, awarded the Tolerance in Journalism Prize "Zebra" for the article showing the most tolerance. The Minister emphasised that the aim of International Tolerance Day is to show that diversity enriches society. He noted that we are all different, and we have the right to be different; and for this reason he invited everyone to show tolerance. Part of the celebration was the awarding of prizes to the winners of an essay competition in the English language, Promote Tolerance! Support Understanding! What Can I Do to Avert Racism, Xenophobia, Sexism and Other Types of Intolerance?, in which schoolchildren from Grades Nine to Twelve participated. This was the second occasion that the International Day for Tolerance was celebrated in Latvia, with events organised this year not only in Riga, but also other cities of Latvia. The 16th of November is the anniversary of founding UNESCO, and the aim of the International Day for Tolerance is to draw society's attention to educating people in tolerance issues and to marshal support for tolerance in society. BNS (16.11.2005) Exhibition Citizenship in Latvia and in the European Union From 3 November to 3 December, an exhibition Citizenship in Latvia and in the European Union was open to the public in the 1st floor lobby of the Riga City Council. The exhibition described the institution of citizenship in Latvia and in other EU member states, and the work of the Naturalisation Board during its eleven years of operation, and the Board's cooperation with the Riga City Council. The exhibition provides statistical information on Latvian citizens and reveals the historical development of the citizenship issue in Latvia. The exhibition stands introduce the visitors to the various requirements for obtaining citizenship in the EU member states and explains the current highly topical concept "loyalty". Visitors to the exhibition could find information about the history of various laws and regulations regarding citizenship in Latvia. A separate stand was devoted to photographs of persons, who have newly obtained citizenship through naturalisation, being congratulated in the Riga City Council. Exhibitions featuring citizenship issues have become a favourite and traditional way of informing society. The Naturalisation Board began creating such exhibitions five years ago with the exhibition Publications Prepared by the Employees of the Naturalisation Board. In 2003, the exhibition Citizenship in Latvia visited many libraries, educational establishments and local municipalities throughout Latvia. Naturalisation Board of the Republic of Latvia (03.11.2005) Traditional Roma Children's and Youth Festival Urdenoro held in Sabile On 12 November 2005, the fourth traditional Roma children's and youth music ensembles festival Urdenoro took place in Sabile. Roma children and youth participated in creative workshops, in which they could acquire deeper knowledge of Roma traditions – singing, dancing and culture. In the evening, those interested could enjoy a concert. The soul of the event was the Sabile children's and youth ensemble The Romance of Gipsy Camp. Last year a new tradition was created – Latvian folklore about Roma was sung alongside actual Roma folklore itself. BNS (30.10.2005) For more information:
Newsletter "Societal Integration in Latvia: Towards Mutual Understanding and Cooperation" is a compilation of press releases and news reports drawn from the mass media and official sources. Not all of the views published reflect the official position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. |
|
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
