On 4 May 1990, the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR ratified the Declaration On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia and renewed the Latvian Constitution that had originally been adopted at the Latvian Constitutional Assembly on 15 February 1922
President Levits led the way, urging the nation to "remember how united we can be in crucial moments, how much strength and foresight our nation has."
Sveicu Latvijas Republikas Neatkarības atjaunošanas dienā! Vienmēr atcerēsimies, cik vienoti mēs spējam būt izšķirīgos brīžos, cik daudz spēka un tālredzības ir mūsu tautā. Lai 4. maijs ir mūsu visu kopīgie atjaunotnes un dzīvesprieka svētki! ?? pic.twitter.com/hs0h1mIP8x
— Egils Levits (@valstsgriba) May 4, 2021
Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs followed suit with a tweet making sure the international community was aware of the date, too.
Today Latvia celebrates the 31th Anniversary of the Restoration of Independence, we send our best wishes to all who love and support Latvia and our gratitude to friends and allies for all your support and solidarity with us in good and bad times ??????
— Edgars Rinkēvičs (@edgarsrinkevics) May 4, 2021
Those wishing to join the celebrations might like to try donning folk costume or binge-watching Latvian movies in a cinematic marathon. Another option would be to tune in to our colleagues at Latvian Radio 2 as they play exclusively Latvian-language songs all day.
Residents of the capital city can check a variety of May 4 events at the website https://kultura.riga.lv/lv/kultura which include a musical retro-tram car that will be roaming the streets throughout the day.
Families may hold "white tablecloth" events in which they gather around a table and enjoy a state-of-the-nation discussion while they eat and drink -- while remembering to follow the current epidemiological advice regarding public gatherings.
History buffs might like to recall the events of May 1990 in this short documentary and indeed the whole 'Keys To Latvian History' strand, or read this handy history of the significance of May 4 (downloadable attachment also provided, right).
However and wherever you mark the occasion, warm May 4 greetings to all LSM readers around the world.
