Latvian Ambassador to Canada takes part in 50th anniversary celebrations for Tervete

On Friday 31 August, Margers Krams, the Latvian Ambasador to Canada will host Edvins Upitis, Chairman of the Tervete District Council, as well as Arturs Reiniks and Oskars Andrusans, musicians of the Tervete group, who have travelled to Canada to participate in the 50^th anniversary celebrations of the Latvian district's namesake Tervete, the property of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Montreal. The guests will be accompanied by Dags Demants, Chair of Council for the congregation.

Tervete is a Canadian-Latvian owned rural retreat located in the St. Lawrence Hills, in the Province of Quebec. Since its foundation, the estate has been a cultural and social centre for the whole Latvian community. Every summer, Tervete hosts a Latvian-speaking children's camp, church services, Midsummer celebrations as well as other social events, including Latvian weddings.

On 1 and 2 September, Latvians from Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto will gather at Tervete for joint singing, for watching fireworks and re-enactments of ancient Latvian battles, and for waltzing in an open-air dance party. The agenda of the celebrations includes also inauguration of the restored gate towers and the opening of a new outdoor church. The renovation at Tervete has taken place due to the active involvement of young people and the rest of the community from Montreal and Ottawa, as well as on the initiative of Dags Demants.

The Latvian Embassy in Ottawa has provided a special treat for the festivity participants - Tervetes beer from Latvia. Embassy staff will take part in the anniversary celebrations and Ambassador Margers Krams will give an address to the participants of the festivities.

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