Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, during her visit to Finland on April 25, spoke of the need to secure cultural and linguistic identities even as Europe becomes more united.
"As Latvians and as Finns, we have to the duty to maintain our linguistic and cultural uniqueness, and to pass it on to our future generations," she said.
"Our two countries share a genuine relationship of friendship and trust, which stems from a common perception of past historical events, as well as from a shared vision of our future development, both as partners in the Baltic Sea region and in the international community," she said.
