A networking event will be held to build up contacts with Latvian businesses and the Honorary Consuls will also receive updates on consular work; they will visit the Riga Technical University and the National Library of Latvia, as well as several Latvian companies.
Today we welcome 119 Honorary Consuls of Latvia from 58 countries, we will discuss fostering economic & diaspora relations, they do great work representing Latvia & fostering bilateral ties, I thank them for their outstanding service, happy to host them during Latvian Centennial pic.twitter.com/noVKVFyoEh
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) July 2, 2018
The meeting at the MFA will be opened by Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs, and a welcome speech will be delivered by Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis. The Speaker of the Latvian Parliament, Ināra Mūrniece, will welcome the Honorary Consuls to the Saeima, and various other ministers, officials and business figures will also give briefings to 119 Honorary Consuls from 58 countries.
They represent Latvia's interests in all regions of the world – Europe, America, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, while not being professional diplomats themselves. You can read about some of their activities around the world at the web page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is also worth noting that Honorary Consuls played an important role in preserving Latvia's statehood abroad while the country was under Soviet occupation. An interesting account of this is also given in the ministry's archives.
