20 years of Latvia's membership of the EU and NATO
Latvia became a member of NATO and the European Union 20 years ago, a milestone in our country's history that marked a new stage in Latvia's development, strengthening national security while paving the way for economic, educational and personal growth.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Latvia becoming a member of both international organisations, in the spring of 2024 we carried out several communication activities on behalf of the State Chancellery.
As part of the project, a special section "Latvia's 20 Years in the EU and NATO - People's Stories" was created on news portal "Delfi", for which we created video stories of well-known personalities in Latvia, reflecting on Latvia's accession to the EU and NATO. The video stories featured, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs, former President of Latvia Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga, Director of the NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Jānis Sārts and musician Ralfs Eilands.
The stories explored how Latvia's membership of these international organisations affected the country and its people, contributing to a broader understanding of the period and its impact on the country's development.
In addition, we held a discussion on "Latvia's 20 years in NATO and the EU: lessons from the past, achievements of the present and challenges for the future". Participants shared their perspectives on how membership in these international organisations has contributed to Latvia's prosperity and security, and critically assessed Latvia's role in the international arena.
In order to invite the public to reflect with a smile on 10 myths, stereotypes and misconceptions about NATO and the EU and to critically evaluate their own beliefs, we created an open-air exhibition "The Cartoonist's Code - Myths and Truths about Latvia's EU and NATO Membership" in cooperation with cartoonist Gatis Šļūka. To open the exhibition, we organised a media event opposite the Cabinet of Ministers, with the participation of cartoonist Gatis Šļūka, LTV journalist Eva Johansone and Brigadier of the Home Guard Kaspars Pudāns.
