Speech by the Director of the National Library of Latvia at the Ceremonial Event Celebrating the 500th Anniversary of Latvian Books, Titled “Latvian Books: 1525–2525” at St. Peter’s Church, Riga, Nove

© Kristians Luhaers, LNB

Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Müller, Your Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen in St. Peter’s Church in Riga and across Latvia!

We have no proof that what you wrote on social media yesterday, or what we experienced a week ago, will exist anywhere other than in our memories. Before the advent of printing, women were responsible for preserving collective memory. Yet in the sphere of the printed word, the presence of women has often gone unnoticed.

And here we are, at the halfway mark of a millennium of Latvian books – today Latvian women embody the image, the spirit, and, to a large extent, the very essence of books written in Latvian. Today, Latvian books are in the hands of women, who guide their creation, publication, dissemination, and safeguarding. They teach reading and promote literacy. Women increasingly shape the development of Latvian-language book culture, and it is our karma to act decisively and confidently, so that even our great-grandchildren can read in Latvian, so that their conversations are about what they have read, and so that rows of books on bookshelves remain their backdrop.

As both a woman and a Latvian, I can personally express my heartfelt gratitude to books in the Latvian language, which allow me to stand here tonight and address you in Latvian. Books and reading have paved the way to rights, independence, self-determination, humanity, mutual respect, knowledge, security, and the freedom to choose – for me, my peers, and for our mothers and grandmothers.

Celebrating 500 years of Latvian books is an exercise in foresight – using this moment to voice and bring to light what is so essential that we might otherwise overlook it. And to achieve change, seemingly because of an anniversary, but really for ourselves.

Looking back at how this historic moment came to be, I want to share with you how the 500th-anniversary program was created. The program’s idea originated with the long-time director of the National Library of Latvia, Andris Vilks. With elegance and vigour, he crafted a vision of books and reading as a solution to today’s challenges. This was followed by numerous internal discussions at the NLL – where staff prepared together and attuned themselves to the idea of the 500th anniversary, much like an orchestra tuning before a symphony performance.

The second stage of developing the idea involved think tanks, starting in 2021, inviting a wider group of people to contribute to the development of specific events and activities. The third stage was the articulation of clear messages – about books as a catalyst for the rapid development of the Latvian and Estonian nations, as a vertical axis of our identity, and as the written word in Latvian – our unique power that has sustained self-determination and defied Russification through the centuries.

The fourth pillar is the network of strong and mutually enriching collaborations that have made possible nearly a thousand events of different scales. The fifth aspect lay in the shared roots and parallel evolution of Latvian and Estonian books – in seeking out and honouring our bonds, and in nurturing and strengthening the closeness between our Baltic nations.

The 500th-anniversary program was rooted in the study of book history. For every nation, the awareness of its own history is essential in every field – all the more so when that awareness is still tainted or distorted in many respects. Therefore, it was crucial to work on debunking myths while boldly examining ourselves in the mirror.

1. We aimed to reconsider and re-evaluate the overly simplified and provincial representations of our cultural history that have influenced our perception of it. For example, in celebrating the 500th anniversary and emphasising the parallels between Latvian and Estonian books, we re-examined both Baltic-German history and our shared cultural space. This unusual symbiosis has also shaped our very European and unique ancient traditions, including a drive for education, self-improvement, and curiosity. Thus, through the anniversary programme, we consciously sought to build bridges and deepen the bonds between Latvians, Estonians, and Germans.

   
   

2. The second challenge was to accept the truly contradictory fate of our book culture. The burning of books that marked the beginning of book printing in 1525 has resonated throughout these five centuries. What we experience on social media today is also a form of burning, one that breaks the dialogue and erodes community. The experience of fear and awe before loss has become part of the fabric of our national identity. Moreover, we cannot always blame others, for we have ourselves at times been the destroyers and burners. Therefore, as part of the anniversary programme we have acknowledged and recognised libraries that have been destroyed, collections that were relocated, and unspoken injustices, so we could accept these losses and move forward. We emphasised both minor and grand acts of heroism, the capacity to make choices, and the courage to take action instead of being resigned to one’s fate or silently grumbling. Our collective memory, in terms of book culture and beyond, is no longer about victimhood but about empowered action.

   
   

Acceptance also extended to diaspora book culture and cultural processes, incorporating them as equal and harmonious parts of our identity. Books published outside Latvia are part of our nation, mending wounds and dismantling the invisible barriers we once built.

3. The central focus of the 500th-anniversary programme was libraries and bookshelves. With a clear message, we aimed to change the myth of what a library is and to reinforce it as a habit, value, and support for every resident of Latvia. If artificial intelligence can possibly save time, a library extends time and inspires us to reach new heights. I believe there is no stronger symbol of belief and care for another’s success than libraries and librarians.

4. The fourth point is not a myth but a recurring insight into the book production chain as an interconnected system, where no single entity is central, because all are closely connected. Publishers, sellers, printers, authors, translators, librarians, readers, and artists – we all share the same journey, united by our dedication to ensuring that books in Latvian continue to exist. Books, as a remedy for loneliness, have helped our field to find a sense of community.

   
   

5. The fifth myth we aimed to dispel concerns the digital world replacing physical presence and analog experiences. Artificial intelligence has so far proven to be a false panacea, hastening, alienating, and exhausting us. We still need to learn to harness it, like taming a wild horse. We especially emphasised the experience of the original, because it radiates a unique energy, and we need to learn how to perceive and feel it. Digital technology makes information accessible but not meaningful. Only the original reveals knowledge born of centuries of experience, mistakes, and discoveries. It teaches patience, respect, and responsibility for what shapes us. Looking at original documents we regain the ability to think deeply, understand slowly, and to fully inhabit the moment. This is why we are here tonight, in St. Peter’s Church, from where, most likely, the request for books in Latvian was sent, together with rare items on display from Tartu, the Academic Library, and the NLL collections, accompanied by the music of Arvo Pärt and Pēteris Vasks, and singing by the choir “Kamēr.”

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Today, thinking about the next 500 years of Latvian books and feeling the pressure of urgency, the central question is: what will we leave behind as a turning point to ensure that books in the Latvian language continue for at least another 500 years? If in 1525 the answer was the mere fact that a demand arose for books in Latvian, today it is likely the same – creating a compelling demand (remember the Lutheran phrase, “because I simply cannot otherwise”) and a habit of reading books in one’s own language in one’s own country. It is about raising awareness of the value of the Latvian language and fostering confidence in its competitiveness, sustainability, preservation, resilience, and quality. But how?

Thus the Riga Manifesto “The Right to Read” was created. These are contemporary “arguments,” that we, in the spirit of community, have created ourselves and are affixing to the doors of today’s social consciousness as a call for action in the present and the future.

This manifesto is about not letting go of the thread that weaves our nation together. We take action into our own hands to awaken ourselves and Latvia, so that as we shape the future, we all have a better starting position and together can achieve another great leap forward. We want reading in Latvian to become a shared value that unites people of different ethnicities in Latvia and strengthens the civic nation. This manifesto restores our confidence and shows us a way forward from the uncertainty about how to present our nation – its innovations – and how to stay competitive amid digital changes and challenges. The answer is that we want to see more people in Latvian society who read with depth, think critically, who understand the meaning of books in Latvian for the very existence of the Latvian state. Innovation will be found in books, not because we will read the answers in them, but because through them we will regain  or develop our ability to think, be empathetic, to accept, and to grasp opposing viewpoints, to recognise the essence of different arguments.

Similarly to the effect triggered in 1525 – whose goal was probably not as far-sighted as it now appears in retrospect – today we wish to understand the side effects of contemporary processes and turn them in a direction that is favourable to us. And that is why we invite everyone to get personally involved – to read, buy, and give books in Latvian; to visit libraries and, through conversation, get to know our wonderful librarians; to establish reading rooms and book clubs in private companies; to support and discover Latvian-language authors, translators, publishers, and illustrators. And, on a national level, to agree that our comparative advantage will be a reading, intelligent, and curious society.

The National Library of Latvia is, and will continue to be, the heartbeat of our nation – a steadfast force, a rock upon which we can rise. We genuinely care about fostering quality reading, continuing to be a state strategist, a driver of the future, and a national symbol that invites people to enter and leave enriched, knowledgeable, and inspired.

Today I wish to thank everyone involved in creating the 500th-anniversary celebration of Latvian books, and also everyone in Latvia and the diaspora who cares about our existence and wants their great-great-grandchildren in 2525 to look back on our work with gratitude and boldly set their goals for the future. We also extend our heartfelt thanks to our international partners, colleagues, and friends who are here with us today, sharing with sincere warmth in our joy and our resolve for the future.

In conclusion, I would like to perform a small ritual. We have prepared two copies of the Riga Manifesto “The Right to Read” in Latvian. I would like to present one to Stefan Meissner, Chairman of the Board of the St. Peter’s Church Foundation in Riga, in gratitude for the inspiration that this place – St. Peter’s Church – continues to provide, just as it did five hundred years ago, perhaps allowing us to imagine that the spirit of the mission of 1525 has once again reached St. Peter’s Church. The second copy will be presented to Martin Öövel, Director of the National Library of Estonia, in recognition of the first 500 years we have travelled together, and of the continuing parallels between Estonian and Latvian literary traditions, which will strengthen both nations and enrich our shared culture of reading.

And finally, let me share this – light shines from books. Let’s read!