Livonian Heritage Day

Today on 26 March 2023 is the first occasion that the Livonian Heritage Day is celebrated in numerous locations both in Latvia and Estonia. The anniversary is part of a series of events to celebrate the year 2023 as the Year of Livonian Cultural Heritage.

The Livonian Institute of the University of Latvia in cooperation with the UNESCO Latvian National Commission and the Latvian National Cultural Center declared 2023 to be the Year of Livonian Cultural Heritage on 7 December 2023 to promote Latvia’s Livonian culture and language.

“The purpose of the thematic year is to identify and popularise the diverse heritage of the Livonians in Latvia from ancient times to the present day. As one of the main events of the year, the Livonian Heritage is expected, when it is planned to raise Livonian flags in all the regions once inhabited by the Livonians,” the Latvian National Cultural Center explained to LSM.

The year 2023 is also part of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032), announced by the UN on 13 December 2022. In addition, the Year of Livonian Cultural Heritage coincides with the centenary of the Livonian flag, which was consecrated in Mazirbe on 18 November 1923.