Saeima of the Republic of Latvia

On 21 August, in honour of the 20^th anniversary of the de facto restoration of Latvia’s independence, the main building of the Saeima will be open to the public from 9:00 till 18:00. Visitors will have an opportunity to view several thematic exhibitions, take a quiz and see the interior of the parliament building.

To honour those who, despite danger and fear, on 4 May 1990 and 21 August 1991 adopted decisions that were crucial for Latvia, the Red Room will contain photo portraits of the members of the Supreme Council. This room, which is one of the most impressive neo-Gothic rooms in Riga, will also contain a photo exhibition titled The Parliament of Latvia during 20 Years of Independence, which will depict events that were important for our country and parliament. Photographic testimonies of the events of August 1991 will also be exhibited in the Red Room.

In the Red Room visitors of the Saeima will also have an opportunity to watch excerpts from the series of interviews History of the Rebirth of Latvia, which has been prepared by the Saeima and in which the eyewitnesses of that time – Anatolijs Gorbunovs, Dainis Īvāns, Jānis Vagris, Juris Bojārs and others – recall the days of the August Putsch and the adoption of the Constitutional Law. A special video, along with the audio recording of the Supreme Council sitting of 21 August 1991, which captures the exact moment when the Constitutional Law was adopted, will also be shown in this room.

The Plenary Chamber, in which members of the Saeima convene for plenary sittings every Thursday, will also be open to the public. Here visitors will have an opportunity to see the Constitutional Law adopted on 21 Augusts 1991 and to learn of how the interior of the chamber has changed over the years.

The Yellow Room, which has been furnished eclectically with furniture from the era of knighthood, will feature all logo designs that were drawn by children and young people this summer in honour of the 20^th anniversary of the de facto restoration of Latvia’s independence. Of the 90 logo designs that were submitted for the contest, a rooster proclaiming freedom, drawn by nine-year old Luīze Anna Pētersone from Riga, was chosen by public vote as the official logo for the festivities.

In the Voting Room, visitors of the parliament building will have an opportunity to see historic documents – official letters of recognition with which other countries recognised the restoration of independence of Latvia in August 1991 and which were indisputable proof of the regained sovereignty of the country.

Furthermore, in the reading room of the Saeima Library, visitors of the Saeima will have a chance to see the awards conferred by public institutions, local governments, other institutions and public organisations; these awards include the medals of honour and merit of the Ministry of Defence and the National Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia. This exhibition, arranged by the National Museum of History of Latvia, contains medals that have been awarded since 1991.

Visitors of the Saeima will have a chance to take part in a quiz by answering questions about 21 August and the Latvian parliament. Five quiz winners selected by drawing lots will receive a surprise gift – the silver anniversary coin Declaration of Independence.

When coming to the parliament building on Sunday visitors must have with them a personal identification document. For security reasons, we ask visitors not to bring into the Saeima building objects which may be dangerous to others and not to arrive intoxicated. 

Saeima Press Service