NORDIC SPRING HAS COME!
For the second year in a row the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia in close cooperation with the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Embassy of Finland, the Embassy of Sweden, the Royal Danish Embassy and the Danish Culture Institute is presenting a Nordic cultural events’ programme „Nordic Spring”. This year the „Nordic Spring” takes place from March to June.
Last year the “Nordic Spring” began with a Scandinavian Design exhibition. Scandinavian design as a term appeared as an excellent example for cooperation, when 5 Nordic countries mutually cooperating (instead of competition) brought to the global art a new design concept. The idea of the “Nordic Spring” appeared in a similar way – each Nordic country contributes with their cultural events developing a common cultural program. Thus we can consider “Nordic Spring” being a tradition already.
There are 6 themes in the programme this year: Visual Arts, Cinema, Literature, Music, Performing Arts, Identity.
Altogether 46 events are planned in the programme - concerts, exhibitions, films, literary evenings, seminars, conferences and other events.
The “Nordic Spring” has unlimited target audience – each age group can find something interesting. One of the aims of the “Nordic Spring” is to maintain interest about Nordic countries alive, offer new impressions and information that could serve as a base for new cooperation ideas.
Already starting from March 6, the “Nordic Spring” will be seen on the streets in Riga attracting with its rich green colour and the first white spring flowers. Posters with the programme of the „Nordic Spring” will be placed at bus stops and on advertisement stands, as well as at the various places of the events. Information flyers will be distributed through “Narvessen” press kiosks, “Statoil” petrol station shops and locations of the included cultural events, various cultural exhibitions and other public locations.
DESIGN EXHIBITION ""NEW SHOOTS"" BY THE STUDENTS OF LATVIAN ACADEMY OF ARTS
On Friday, March 3 at 18.00 a design exhibition ""New Shoots"" will be open at the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design (Skārņu iela 10/20, Riga). The exhibition features design works made by the Latvian Academy of Arts students' that have been supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia.
Works exhibited are made by young, talented designers for participation at the International Design competition ""INDEX 2005 & Cumulus"" in Copenhagen, Stockholm Furniture exhibition ""Greenhouse"" and within the project ""Nordic Design Workshops"".
The exhibition is prolonged until March 26, 2006.
The exhibition is organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia in cooperation with Latvian Academy of Arts. Our gratitude to the supporters: Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, Copy General, farm ""Galiņi"", Radio NABA. The exhibition is one of the ""Nordic Spring"" events.
THE NORDIC COOPERATION CELEBRATES 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY IN LATVIA!
In January 1990 when the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM) decided to work out initiatives to support development in the Baltic Area, it was first time ever that NCM was the operator of something else than intra-Nordic activities. The aim was clear: Political support for the Baltic Republics and their struggle for freedom.
After negotiations in Moscow the Soviet authorities accepted that Nordic offices were established as information and cultural centres in the three Baltic Soviet Republics.
The official launching of the Nordic Information Office i Riga took place on the 1st of April 1991. The office was one of the very first foreign representations in Latvia at that time.
Times have changed, and so has the situation in Latvia. The last 15 years have shown that development of society is constantly generating new needs and new aspects in the relations of co-operation.
The EU membership of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in 2004 marked a new era of cooperation. After one decade of cooperation, which might first of all be characterized as aid to development, time had come to aim at a more equally based cooperation between authorities.
The key areas of cooperation have changed and the role of the NCM office in Latvia is far from being “only an information office”.
EXHIBITION “BRIDGE ROUTER” BY PATRICIJA BREKTE
On Tuesday, the 7th of February a painting and graphics exhibition ""Bridge Router” by Patricija Brekte is presented at the premises of the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia.
Patricija Brekte is a young artist who works in black and white and has chosen unusual theme. The exhibition is dedicated to the art space of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, where Patricija Brekte repeatedly turns to the theme of urban landscape. A theme of a bridge and its surroundings is put in the spotlight of the exhibition. „There is a necessity to create something that can be easily perceived, because there is a lack of visually understandable art”, thinks the author.
Inspiration for the paintings P.Brekte has gained in Sweden, when she participated in the creative Nordic graphics workshop. This was possible thanks to the grant received from the Nordic Council of Ministers within the program “Baltic Sleipnir”.
The exhibition is open until March 15, 2006. Address: The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia, Riga, Marijas 13/3.
„ENERGY++” CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The contest for Energy students from universities in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia within the project “Energy++” of the Nordic Council of Ministers has concluded. The contest was carried out through the homepage www.moreenergyfun.com from November 15, 2005 until December 5, 2005 and was devoted to energy efficiency, energy policy and energy demand management in households in order to draw attention of future energy specialists to issues which are declared the priority of EU energy policy.
Award ceremony was held in January 20, 2006 in Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Latvia. The winners are: 1st place - A.Kamenders (RTU, Latvia), 2nd place - I.Bankauskas (VTU, Lithuania), 3rd place - L.Bušmane (RTU, Latvia), consolation prize – G.Žogla (RTU, Latvia).
The webpage created by the „Energy++” project was intended as one of tools available to achieve aims of energy policy using international cooperation, exchange of best experience and information about developments of energy policy.