On Friday, 12 August children and young people who participated in the logo contest for the celebrations of 21 August will visit the Saeima.
Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, will take this opportunity to thank the participants for their contributions; she will also provide a deeper insight into the significance of 21 August in Latvia’s history and in legislative work. Afterwards, the invited children and youth will take part in a quiz on this significant date and the Saeima in general.
“On 21 August we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the de facto restoration of our independence. We invited students from secondary and higher education institutions – children and young people who 20 years ago were not yet born or were small children – to participate in the contest to design a logo for the 21 August celebration. The submitted designs are very patriotic and explicitly show that children and young people have a clear understanding of Latvia’s independence and of 21 August 1991 as a turning point in our 50-year-long struggle against the occupation power,” pointed out the Speaker.
There were 90 logo designs received for the contest from secondary and higher education institution students under the age of 25. Majority of contestants have not experienced the decisive events of 21 August 1991, and their knowledge is based on recollections of eye-witnesses and historical records. Students represent all the regions of Latvia, including cities such as Alūksne, Daugavpils, Liepāja, Roja and Jelgava.
Participants of the logo contest will have an opportunity to see several thematic exhibitions, as well as to enjoy the interior of the parliament building. The tour will include an exhibition of photographs depicting the historical events of August 1991, as well as a photographic retrospective of the Saeima during 20 years. They will also have an opportunity to see the Constitutional Law and the official letters from other countries recognising Latvia’s independence – an indisputable testimony of regained sovereignty.
Furthermore, all the logo designs that were submitted by young logo designers will be displayed. A public vote determined that the winner of the logo contest is a nine-year old Luīze Anna Pētersone who designed a rooster proclaiming independence. Renāte Robiņa, a student at the University of Latvia, whose logo is titled De facto independence 20, and Inga Reimane, a student at the School of Business Administration Turība, who designed a logo with the motto Let’s knit Latvia together - the designers of the second and third best logos - also received awards.
On 21 August this year, Latvia will celebrate the 20th anniversary of de facto restoration of its independence. 21 August 1991 was a crucial moment in the history of our country because on that day the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia adopted the Constitutional Law on the Statehood of the Republic of Latvia, thus restoring the de facto independence of Latvia
This law reinstated the Constitution of Latvia (Satversme) of 1922 with its values of Western democracy and the rule of law. With the adoption of the Constitutional Law, the laws of the USSR became null and void in Latvia. On the basis of the law of 21 August, other countries recognised the restoration of Latvia’s independence.
The visit of the logo contest participants will begin on Friday, 12 August, at 10:00 at the Plenary Chamber.
Att. Media representatives:
During the visit there will be photo and video opportunities, as well as opportunities to interview the participants of the 21 August logo contest.
Saeima Press Service