Celabrating summer solstice together with Latvian diaspora in Minsk [20 Jun 2005]

On 18 June 2005, the staff of the Latvian Embassy in Belarus, together with representatives of the Latvian diaspora in Belarus, initiated the celebrations of the biggest Latvian summer solstice festival - Ligo and Jani. The Embassy employees sang Ligo songs, danced, and rejoiced at the bonfire. During the event, the participants could listen about Latvian ornaments, their meaning and value for the Latvian culture, as well as about Latvian rituals and traditions. The participants could taste Jani cheese with caraway seeds and barley beer. The event was supported by the Latvian Society Integration Foundation.

Together with representatives of the Latvian diaspora and the Society Integration Foundation, the Embassy has also hosted the celebrations of other traditional national festivals - Christmas, Meteni and Easter.

The Latvian diaspora in Minsk formed in March 2004, and this year it has named itself the Latvian public organisation "Auseklis" and has already prepared documents for registration in Belarus.

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