The conversation festival LAMPA emphasizes - the world is changing – the conversations must continue! This year the LAMPA festival will take place from September 2 to 5 both online and in person.
As usual, participation will be free of charge and this year all of the festival events will be streamed live online, allowing people to follow along wherever they may be at the moment, whether in Latvia or elsewhere in the world.
The Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia also will offer several interesting discussions.
On Wednesday, September 2, 14:00-15:00 in the Gaismas pils studio together with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung we will hold a discussion "Keeping societies together in the 2020s – where does the sense of increased social and economic inequality come from?" chaired by the journalist Paul Raudseps. The perceived social and economic inequalities within societies have become subject to debate in many countries in the world, sometimes leading to political protests and upheaval. The communication possibilities created by the digital transformation of society have sometimes reinforced the feeling of unfairness among large groups of people. The welfare societies of the Baltic Sea Region, like the Nordic countries and Germany, as well as the Baltic countries, are also experiencing increased tensions within their societies when social and economic policies are questioned and sometimes are claimed to increase gaps between the economically affluent and more disadvantaged groups. The social contract, that traditionally has been the cornerstone of “the Nordic welfare model” and its redistribution of wealth, is still intact but is threatened by increased economic disparities. In Latvia, there is also growing discontent among certain groups in society, that perceive an unfair distribution of resources and demand greater attention to public delivery of services like health care and education. Solidarity, which for long has been a word with strong ideological connotations, not least in the Baltic countries, has once again come back into use among politicians. The discussion will take place in English (with live translation into Latvian).
On Friday, September 4, 10:00-11:00 the discussion "How and why to demystify media literacy" will be held in Splendid Palace studio. Discussion on the topic what media literacy is and why it is necessary for the era of artificial intelligence, “big data”, and “capitalism surveillance” and how to think strategically about it. The discussion will focus on media literacy that can lead us to a better life, ensure our wellbeing and security in the living space determined by technological progress. In the event, we will discuss the best Nordic practices and what we can learn from the Nordic countries and what Nordic countries can learn from us. We will discuss how exactly media users, experts on media literacy, educators, policymakers, media regulator and media industry representatives from the Nordic and Baltic countries could mutually benefit from each other’s’ experience, think and work together. The discussion will take place in English (with live translation into Latvian).
On Friday, September 4, 14:30 - 15:30 the discussion "Future of Food" will be held in Splendid Palace studio. The food sector has a significant impact on climate change and biodiversity. In the Nordic and Baltic countries, the discussion about alternative protein sources, a more sustainable food system and the reduction of food waste are becoming increasingly important. In order to make the right decisions, it is necessary to understand the most significant future trends that will affect the food system and society as a whole. How can we think about the future in the context of food? What should we pay attention to? What signals are important and what is just noise? This will be an exercise for all of us – trying to imagine the future of food together. The panel discussion will be attended by the world-renowned food expert Afton Halloran: https://aftonhalloran.com/about/, the outstanding scientist Miķelis Grīviņš http://www.bscresearch.lv/#team, and a Danish farmer residing in Latvia – Jesper Holm, the owner of the Hereford butcher shop. The discussion will be moderated by Maija Kāle, Sustainability Adviser at the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia. The discussion will take place in English (with live translation into Latvian).
