Rinkevics says Latvian language is foundation of the state

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said the Latvian language is the foundation of the state as he marked State Language Day on October 15, LSM reported.

“The Latvian language helps people who care about Latvia understand one another and grow closer. A strong language makes Latvia secure, and a rich language makes a rich nation,” Rinkevics said.

He praised Latvian writers and poets and thanked those who write, speak and sing in Latvian. He urged people to mark the day by reading a work by a Latvian author and to protect the language as a way of protecting Latvia.

Latvian Public Media is holding a Latvian-language dictation for the occasion. At 11:05, actor Raimonds Celms of the Latvian National Theatre will read “Average sentence length: two hours,” a text by poet and literary scholar Ivars Steinbergs. The dictation will be broadcast on Latvian Radio 1 and LTV1 and published on the LSM website.

State Language Day has been observed on October 15 since 2021. The date marks the day in 1998 when Article 4 of Latvia’s Constitution established Latvian as the state language.

Before the day, Rinkevics met Inese Muhka, director of the State Language Centre, at Riga Castle. They discussed the centre’s priorities and current work, including the role of Latvian in public life and the language’s long-term sustainability.

“The Latvian language is the foundation of the Latvian state and our national identity, so strengthening its position is especially important in the current geopolitical situation,” Rinkevics said. “Our shared responsibility and respect for the state language begin with each of us.”