Cooperation with European Latvian Association is one of Foreign Ministry’s priorities – Rinkevics

  • 2019-04-30
  • LETA/TBT Staff

RIGA - On April 29, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics and Foreign Ministry’s Parliamentary Secretary Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica met with representatives from the Board of the European Latvian Association (ELA) – the Chairperson of the Board, Elina Pinto, Vice Chairman Agnis Sauka, the head of the cultural section, Lelde Vikmane, and the education project coordinator in Latvia, Aira Priedite, LETA learned from the Foreign Ministry.

At the meeting, the Minister thanked the ELA for constructive cooperation and support during the drafting of the Diaspora Law and implementing the diaspora policy. The Minister reconfirmed cooperation with the ELA as one of the Foreign Ministry priorities given the number of Latvian nationals living in Europe.

The Foreign Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary updated the representatives of the association on the latest developments in the field of the diaspora policy and the upcoming approval of the Regulations of the Diaspora Advisory Council in the near future, which would make it possible to plan, carry out and coordinate diaspora policy measures in a more effective manner.

The representatives of the ELA Board expressed gratitude to the Foreign Minister for successful cooperation on the diaspora policy, and they presented an overview of the further lines of action and priorities based on the promotion of identity (facilitation of contacts in culture and education), involvement (enhancement of civic awareness), and contribution (transfer of experience gained abroad) in Latvia.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the members of the ELA Board expressed their confidence in successful further cooperation in the implementation of the diaspora policy.