Exhibition The Genesis of a Nation: the New Latvian Movement and Krisjanis Valdemars on display at Foreign Ministry

On 29 January, the Foreign Ministry State Secretary Normans Penke opened an exhibition entitled The Genesis of a Nation: the New Latvian Movement and Krisjanis Valdemars. In his address, State Secretary Penke highlighted the importance of the national awakening period in the establishment of the state of Latvia and emphasised that this exhibition was only the first in the series Latvia's Course Towards Statehood devoted to the 90th anniversary of the state of Latvia. Valda Petersone, Deputy Director for Research of the State Historical Archives of Latvia, introduced the audience to the exposition, but Valters Scerbinskis, a senior researcher at the Public Relations and Publications Division of the Archives, expressed his thanks to the Ministry for its receptiveness and successful collaboration.

The exposition tells the story of the Latvian national awakening during 1850s - 1880s and includes documents and exhibits related to the foundation and activities of the first Latvian association and student organisations, as well as the life and work of Krisjanis Valdemars. The exhibition features original copies of the legendary Pēterburgas Avīzes and informative materials about the work of the paper's editorial staff. To commemorate the prominent figure of the New Latvian movement, the street on which the Foreign Ministry building is located bears the name of Krisjanis Valdemars. The Genesis of a Nation: the New Latvian movement and Krisjanis Valdemars is the first exhibition to take place in the recently renovated building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at �Ė3 Krisjana Valdemara. 

The exhibition is being presented by the Foreign Ministry in association with the State Historical Archives of Latvia and will be on display until 22 February in the foyer of the Foreign Ministry building. Visiting times to be arranged in advance with the Public Relations Division, telephone number 67015984. The Ministry particularly invites educational institutions to visit the exhibition, which may be seen as a history lesson in the Ministry's historic building, and also offers to loan the exhibition to go on display in schools.

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