According to the media monitoring data by Latvian Institute, in 2012, 74,2% of all articles by foreign online media mentioning Latvia have been positive.
In total, there have been 4599 publications about Latvia by internet versions of foreign media; 3413 of them depicted Latvia in a positive light. Compared to 2011, the total number of publications has decreased by 25%. However, the proportion of positive ones has increased. In 2011, the proportion of positive articles was 70,1%.
The topics most mentioned by foreign online media in 2012 were economic matters and internal policy matters with the total ratio of 27% and 23% respectively. Society and foreign policy matters were reflected in 14% each of all articles; meanwhile Latvian sports were mentioned in 12% of publications. Other topics – culture, tourism, environment, and relations with Russia – formed a total of 10% of all foreign media articles about Latvia. Read more …

Although the diplomatic and economic relations between Latvia and the United States are excellent, there is still room for improvement to popularise Latvia to the U.S. society, U.S. ambassador Mark Pekala and the Director of the Latvian Institute Karina Pētersone discussed during a meeting today.

Pētersone expressed readiness to cooperate with the U.S. Embassy and stated that the Latvian Institute would most certainly like and be able to do more – even with the dramatic budget cuts it has faced.

Pekala also pointed out that the Latvian Institute serves as a great source for getting to know Latvia and its people. He had used the information himself upon finding out that he’ll be appointed the post of the Ambassador about a year ago. Read more …

Presenting an unprecedented attempt to turn a natural and industrial resource – peat – into a shapely art form, the project is dedicated to the informal, non-traditional manifestation of modern art in Latvia which includes, apart from plastic arts, other genres such as photography, music, video, graphic design and belles-lettres.

12 Latvian artists have used an untraditional material, dried peat, to produce 12 sculptures. The 12 peat-sculptures were made at plein air sessions during the town festival in Bauska in 2011. The sessions were taking place at the very centre of the old town, and the visitors could observe the work of the artists and they were even encouraged to participate. In the course of the plein air event, the 12 objects were created within 12 hours. The artists were given an equal amount of peat and provided with the same conditions and equipment for working on sculpture. The artists who participated are Liga Yuksha, Maris Upzars, Elga Grinvalde, Matiass Yansons, Dmitry Lavrentjev, Martinsh Chivlis, Edgars Ameriks, Roberts Yansons, Yanis Yekabsons, Rudite Yekabsone, Kristaps Strauts, Kalvis Zalitis, Natalia Demshova, Leonid Medvedsky, Verners Lazdans, Natalia Bessonova. Read more …