Today, Latvia celebrates the Proclamation Day of the Latvian Republic. For Latvians, this is a celebration of freedom and independence.
For hundreds of years, Latvia was ruled by foreign powers. At the end of World War I, as the Russian and German empires crumbled, Latvian political leaders, particularly one young diplomat, rose to the occasion to put Latvia on the map. His name was Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics. After writing several appeals, Zigfrīds was granted an audience with Lord Arthur Balfour, the UK Foreign Secretary at the time. Zigfrīds had twenty minutes with Lord Balfour; he spoke about democracy, self-determination, and the will of the people to be free. Balfour nodded and agreed. A simple response, but undeniably world-changing.
Independence was not given easily and was far from secure. Latvians had to defend their freedom during the War of Independence, which did not end until 1920. A brutal Soviet occupation followed and lasted until 1991. The struggle and sacrifice made for the country give Proclamation Day its deep and powerful meaning felt today.
These images are not a document of Proclamation Day, but they serve as a celebration of Latvia’s landscape, culture, and freedom.
