- Dec 15, 2006,
- The NATO Summit Herald to Latvia and the world!
Home For Media Digest Digest - October 27, 2006
5000 guests, 307 km2 of city. That means 16 guests per square kilometre of Riga. Add the fact that this guest list includes some of the world’s top officials, and what do you get? An utterly unique experience for the city and its inhabitants. And – a whole lot of questions about it from Rigans.
Daily flights between London and Riga have brought a flood of visitors from the United Kingdom in the last year, but last week, this 805-year old city experienced a true first when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit. While in Riga, the Queen noted the remarkable progress Latvia has made during the past decade and a half. Not only has Latvia joined NATO and the EU, but now has the distinct honor of hosting the NATO Summit.
What does a baby kangaroo in her mother’s pouch have in common with the children of NATO? Security. At least that’s what one young Latvian artist thinks. This summer children in Latvia were invited to express their feelings about NATO through art. The result is over 1500 original works of art, expressing the values and benefits of NATO in a wide variety of imaginative, colourful, and creative ways.
Although Latvians have been a part of NATO HQ in Brussels for two years, Latvian food has not. Until now. This week NATO delegates and officials were given a special taste of Latvia as a preview of what to expect during the Riga Summit.
For Latvians food is more than something to eat - it is integral part of our culture. To share this very tasty aspect of Latvian culture, special meals were prepared at NATO HQ by members of Latvia’s Delegation to NATO and prospective new cooks from Riga.
The Latvian Institute's new promotional 5-minute video "Sounds Like Latvia" was produced by "Style Masters Studio" and features what could become a memorable trademark for the city of Riga - talking Art Nouveau statues that introduce Latvia as a place for fun, business and excitement.
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"The NATO Riga Summit is one of the most significant international events to take place in Latvia. Parex, a bank with international interests and ambitions, could not miss the opportunity to contribute to the event. We are proud to support events which contribute to the history and inform Latvia and the international community about NATO and the importance of security in the global economy. "
- Valērijs Kargins,
Parex bank, President
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