
Literature


In celebration of the 90th birthday of the famous poet Ojārs Vācietis (1933-1983), a literary musical event “Life full to the brim with music” will be held at 19:00 on November 13 in the Latvian National Library.

A fascinating history of Rīga's earliest years has been published in paperback in the United States and is now available.

A new book tells the story of one of the bloodiest incidents in Latvian military history.

Latvian poet and translator Amanda Aizpuriete (1956-2023), has died, her son Aksels Hiršs confirmed on social media Sunday.

The platform Latvian Literature has created a virtual tour offering the opportunity to tour locations in Rīga mentioned in the works of various Latvian authors. During the approximately 40-minute tour, it is possible to listen to extracts from the works of Vizma Belševica, Dace Rukšāne, Pauls Bankovskis, Luīze Pastore and other writers, the platform's creators said.

A key Latvian language legal volume "Constitutional Law" has now been published in English by official state publisher Latvijas Vēstnesis.

The Embassy of Ireland and the Latvian Writers Union, in partnership with the National Library of Latvia and Literature Ireland, will be holding a poetry reading and discussion on September 7 at the National Library in Rīga.

As literature lovers will know already, June 16 is 'Bloomsday' – a day for the celebration of James Joyce's masterpiece 'Ulysses' and for appreciation of literature more widely.

The Rīga Central Library (RCB) is opening a beachside reading space in Lucavsala recreation park. Books, board games, and other leisure activities are available. On Thursday, June 1, the space opened its metaphorical door to visitors.

Between May 11 and 14, Latvian films and literature will be shown off in Berlin in a festival called "Is it easy to be Latvian/Ist es leicht, Lette zu sein?", the organizers said on May 9.

The second international poetry festival Page Break will take place in Jelgava from May 10 to 13. The four-day poetry event will conclude with an ambitious poetry concert, with 13 poets from 12 countries around the world, the festival's organizer said on May 8.

The Latvian PEN Award 2022 goes to the literature and philosophy online magazine Punctum, representatives of the Latvian PEN said May 3.

Between April 27 and 30, the international Leipziger Buchmesse (Leipzig Book Fair) is taking place in Germany, with Latvia also participating with a stand and event program, said the representatives of the stand.

Results of a population survey published on April 24 by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that half (50.3 %) of the population of Latvia aged 16 and over were reading books (including e-books or audio books) in 2022.

From April 5 to April 26, public voting for the Latvian Literary Award 2023 (LALIGABA) is taking place on LSM's Latvian-language portal, allowing readers to express their literary preferences in various different cateogries.

From May 10 to 13, the international poetry festival "Page Break" will be held in Jelgava for the second time, gathering poets from 12 countries, the organizers have said.

Protesters voiced their opposition March 12 to plans to potentially remove a statue of Russian writer Alexander Pushkin from a Rīga park, reported Latvian Television.

On February 22, a new stamp will be released in honor of the 150th birthday of Latvian linguist Jānis Endzelīns (1873–1961), Latvian Postal Service (LP) said.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia have announced the anual contest for the Latvian and Estonian Language Promotion Award (Languages Award).

The Latvian Literature platform has announced 2023's first open call for foreign publishers and translators to receive a grant for translating an publishing Latvian literature abroad.

Velta Sniķere, a Latvian poet, translator, and yoga teacher, has passed away aged 101, according to a statement by the University of Latvia's Institute of Literature, Folklore, and Art.

An international exhibition examining the life and works of the seminal Irish writer James Joyce has opened in the Latvian city of Cēsis on November 3.

Honoring the distinguished Latvian essayist, philosopher, writer, and translator Zenta Mauriņa on her 125th birthday, a postage stamp and envelope will be issued on October 28, Latvian Postal Service (Latvijas Pasts, LP) reported on October 26.

On October 12 , 120 books issued in Ukraine were handed over to the Latvian National Library (LNB) . This is the initiative of Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska, the “Ukrainian Book Shelf,” which takes place in a number of European countries, Latvian Television reported Wednesday.

On the National Language Day, Saturday, October 15, at 12:20 Rīga time the annual world dictation day in Latvian will take place simultaneously in Latvia and around the world for the eighth year in a row.

On the 155th birthday of Eduards Veidenbaums, on October 3, at 11:30, a new permanent exhibition “More Light!” will be opened at the Eduards Veidenbaums Memorial Museum, Kalāči, located between Cēsis and Valmiera in northern Latvia.

One of Latvia's best-loved poets, Lija Brīdaka, has passed away at the age of 90, it was confirmed September 19 by the Latvian Writers' Union.

On September 9 2022, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Urmas Reinsalu met in Valka, Latvia and took part in a ceremony for the presentation of the Languages Award bestowed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia.

On Friday, September 2, the international poetry festival “Poetry Days 2022” begins, which will continue until September 11 with a variety of events – poetry readings, performances, masterclasses – at various venues in Rīga. Events will take place throughout Latvia all September.
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