This autumn, the annual Nordic Days will take place in Liepāja. The main day of the programme will be 3 November, when residents and visitors are invited to a concert by Norwegian musician Marja Mortensson at the Great Amber Concert Hall. A range of other events promoting Nordic culture and cooperation will take place in the city over several weeks.
As in previous years, highlight of the Nordic Days is a joint regional visit by Nordic ambassadors, the Director of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia and the Head of the Danish Cultural Institute, meeting the mayor and other city represantatives. Liepāja has been chosen as this year’s destination in light of the cooperation within the European Capital of Culture programme next year.
Traditionally, the Nordic Days programme offers a range of Nordic-themed events in different locations in the city.
At CINAMON Liepāja BALLE, three films by Norwegian directors will be screened in their original language with Latvian subtitles – provided by the Norwegian embassy:
- Friday, 6 November, 17:30 – documentary Songs of Earth (Fedrelandet).
- Saturday, 7 November, 16:30 – drama Munch.
- Sunday, 8 November, 15:00 – comedy-drama Ninjababy.
From 27 October to 30 November, two exhibitions from Denmark will be on display in Liepāja – provided by the Danish embassy:
- At Liepāja Olympic Centre – “Our Arctic Future” with 21 posters depicting the striking landscapes of the Arctic.
- At the Liepāja City Council Visitor Centre – “Greener Together”.
From 2 to 27 November, comic enthusiasts are invited to the Liepāja Music, Art and Design Secondary School to see “Myth Busters”, an exhibition exploring stereotypes. It brings together works by 16 international artists addressing established assumptions and prejudices relevant both in Latvia and the Nordic countries. Created in Latvia in cooperation with publishing house kuš!, the exhibition has been shown in several cities across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia since its opening during last year’s Nordic Days in Kuldīga, and has recently returned from Finland. Opening: 2 November at 17:00.
Highlight of the Nordic Days will be a musical gift from the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Norwegian embassy to residents and city guests: a concert by Norwegian musician Marja Mortensson at the Great Amber Concert Hall on 3 November at 19:00. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Tickets are available at Biļešu Paradīze box offices and online: www.bilesuparadize.lv/marja-mortensone.
Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, as the foyer of the concert hall will host the photo exhibition “Nordic Countries in Latvia – 35 years”, on display exclusively on the day of the concert. The exhibition captures highlights from the 35-year history of the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia. It also features many of the Office’s long-standing partners – and visitors may well recognise some familiar faces.
On 3 November, the Liepāja Future Districts Challenge will conclude with awards for the best development concepts for selected areas of the city. The initiative, launched by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia, seeks new approaches to the development of underused areas in regional cities. This year, around 60 architecture students from four Latvian higher education institutions are taking part. At the final event students will be presenting their ideas. The event is open for everyone, yet prior registration is required: https://ej.uz/vqxs.
Over five weeks, working in teams, they are developing proposals drawing on knowledge gained through lectures by Nordic architects. The team whose proposal best incorporates Nordic principles of urban planning will receive the Ambassadors’ Award. The initiative is being implemented in cooperation with the municipality of Liepāja and local businesses.
The annual Nordic Days are organised by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia in cooperation with the Embassies of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden and the Danish Cultural Institute. The aim is to create connections, facilitate the exchange of experience and strengthen cooperation between Latvia and the Nordic countries beyond Riga. The Nordic Days were previously held in Liepāja in 2017.
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