On November 1, 2023, the association “Shelter “Safe House”” launched the project “Latvia – A Country by the Baltic Sea!” The aim of the project is to promote the involvement of third-country nationals in Latvian society. To achieve this, the association organizes and provides introductory courses on life in Latvia, each consisting of 9 sessions.
The courses take place in several locations: the association`s premises in Riga, the asylum seeker accommodation centers “Mucenieki” and “Liepna”. Last week, Liepna in the Alūksne region hosted its first such a course! The sessions were very intensive as the content, which other groups covered over several weeks, had to be learned within a single week.
The course covers various topics crucial for someone newly arrived in Latvia: the rights and obligations of immigrants, employment opportunities, healthcare, educational opportunities, culture, and traditions. This time, the session on traditions was particularly well received. Led by lecturer Ramona Liepiņa, it took place outdoors. Latvian songs and games resonated as if it were the midsummer festival Jāņi, and the course participants joined in with great enthusiasm.
Thanks to the Liepna community center for providing the space for the sessions and to the Alūksne District Museum for the tour and the premises. The outdoor session also took place in the museum park. Special thanks to the management and administration of PMIC “Liepna” for their cooperation and support in organizing and conducting the training!
The project “Latvia – A Country by the Baltic Sea” will run until August 31, 2026. At the end of the project, the association will invite media representatives to a special event to share the experiences gained during the project. We also report on events on our website www.patverums-dm.lv and on social media.
The project “Latvia – A Country by the Baltic Sea” is implemented with the support of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund for the period 2021–2027, grant agreement no. PMIF/13.3./2023/1/04. The total funding for the project is 302,765.06 euros, which includes 227,073.79 euros from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and 75,691.27 euros from the Latvian state budget.