As part of integration classes, asylum seekers attend the Latvian National History Museum.
The tour is led by Gunta Vīksne, expert of the association "Shelter "Safe House"". Gunta is not only a lawyer, but also a history teacher. Years of experience in working with immigrants allow her to pinpoint the information that will be most understandable and useful to people who have come to Latvia for the first time – from geographically distant and culturally different places of the globe.
An interpreter also participated in the excursion. This group of asylum seekers includes people whose main language of communication is French, and Gunta`s entire narrative is instantaneously translated into French.
The group listened to the narration with interest, their attention was also drawn to the artifacts displayed at the museum. Asylum seekers took the opportunity to ask questions, and they were most interested in events closer to the present – for example, the time of national awakening and liberation from occupation.
This was the first lesson for this group, several more meetings will follow, where other speakers will talk about rights, job opportunities, health care, education, traditions and culture.
The project "Latvia – a Country by the Baltic Sea!" is being implemented with the support of the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund for the period 2021–2027, under grant agreement no. PMIF/13.3./2023/1/04. The total project funding is €302,765.06, comprising €227,073.79 from the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund and €75,691.27 from the Latvian state budget.