Open Door Day
On Friday, September 26, during the Open House Day, the Saeima invited everyone interested to learn about Latvia's path to freedom, looking back on the restoration of Latvia's independence 35 years ago.
The original audio recording of the Supreme Council's May 4, 1990 session was played in the Plenary Chamber, featuring the historic vote on the Declaration "On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia." Visitors also viewed an exhibition of works by artist Džemma Skulme. This year, September 20 marked the 100th anniversary of the artist's birth. Džemma Skulme's work is one of the most striking and influential phenomena in Latvian art in the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century. The artist also stood at the cradle of the Awakening movement and helped to nurture the dream of a free Latvia.
During the event, guests were able to send a postcard designed to commemorate the restoration of Latvia's independence to any location in Latvia free of charge. It was also possible to watch a video series entitled "The Decisive Choice: How the Declaration of Independence Was Created," in which contemporaries of the Awakening talk about drafting of the declaration, as well as a video with historical footage. Visitors also had the opportunity to take photos in a themed photo corner and test their knowledge in an interactive quiz.
A special tour allowed visitors to explore the parliament's premises – the Plenary Chamber, the Voting Room, the Yellow and Red Halls, as well as the luxurious reception rooms. An outdoor exhibition on the adoption of the May 4 Declaration and the path to the restoration of Latvia's independence was on display next to the Saeima building.
Visitors could also explore information about the Parliament’s youth initiatives — the Youth Parliament, the school program ‘Discover the Parliament’, and the photography contest ‘Mission: Photographer’.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/albums/72177720329267051/
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