Your Excellencies, representatives of the diplomatic corps!
Honorable guests, ladies and gentlemen!
I am honored to welcome all of you here tonight, when we have already celebrated the ninetieth anniversary of the Republic of Latvia and have come one day closer to the centenary of our state.
These days are certainly marked by a festive feeling, looking back at our history and looking forward at our future with pride, gratitude and confidence.
We are grateful to all those, who in the early twenties of the last century believed in the ideals of a sovereign Latvia and its possibilities in the international arena. To all those, who during each decade of the existence of an independent Latvia have aimed at not only putting our state on the world's map, but also to strengthen our statehood and our security guarantees. We have a lot to be proud of – the initiative and achievements of our people far and near in Latvia and across its borders - in universities, concert halls, art galleries and theatre festivals, laboratories and medical institutions, international military and civil operations, diplomatic missions, European institutions and business environment.
Speaking about future – we are looking forward with a sense of confidence about the strength of our people and our state. We are looking forward with confidence about continued cooperation with our partners in Europe and the whole world. With the confidence that future challenges both in foreign and security policy, as well as in economics and financial markets are to be solved by means of common dialogue, mutual support and solidarity.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Let me raise this toast to the future of Latvia accompanied by a wish that the jubilee motto Lights On for Latvia continues to be our everyday slogan – motivating, encouraging and inspiring!
