Nov 18, 2019
Latvia Independence Day 2019
This Doodle’s Key Themes
Today’s Doodle celebrates the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, the Baltic state bordered by Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. On this day in 1918, the People's Council of Latvia gathered in a theater in the capital city of Riga and proclaimed independence soon after the end of the First World War.
The red and white Latvian flag, one of the world’s oldest national flags, will be seen flying in all parts of the country, from Liepāja on the Baltic coast all the way to Rēzekne in the east, but Riga is the focal point of Independence Day festivities.
Crowds gather in the square around the Freedom Monument for a ceremonial laying of flowers, a choir singing the national anthem, and a presidential speech. Later there are fireworks over the historic Daugava river. The evening concludes with a torchlit procession and “Staro Rīga,” a festival of lights featuring interactive art installations and projections on large buildings throughout the city.
Sveicam Latvijas Republikas proklamēšanas diena!
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