From 19 to 23 March 2023, Alda Vanaga, the non-resident Ambassador of Latvia to Brazil, visited Brazil and met with officials of the Federal Government and the São Paulo State Government. The meetings addressed the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and its consequences not only in Europe but also around the world.
During her meeting with the Latvian diaspora, the Ambassador spoke about the support of the Latvian government and people to Ukraine, explained the situation in Europe and exchanged views on the impact of the war on Brazil, as well as answering questions from compatriots. A conversation with the Mayor of Nova Odessa in the State of São Paulo focused on mutual support opportunities and closer cooperation in the fields of digitalization and energy, as well as successful cooperation between the municipality of Nova Odessa and the Faculty of Architecture at Riga Technical University.
In a conversation with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, the Ambassador welcomed Brazil’s support for UN resolutions condemning Russian aggression. The Secretary General stressed that although Russia had started this war, attempts should be made to seek opportunities for ending the hostilities and for peace talks. The war launched by Russia is affecting heavily not only European countries but also Brazil, which is strongly dependent on Russian-made fertilizers.
On the initiative of Ambassador Vanaga, a strong cooperation has developed between the Faculty of Architecture of Riga Technical University and the local government of Nova Odessa, a city founded by Latvians. Last year, 35 Latvian and international Erasmus students developed modern, environmentally and climate-friendly solutions for the design of Nova Odessa city gates and outdoor spaces. During his visit, Alda Vanaga presented sketches to Mayor Cláudio José Schooder and suggested that a council of municipal officials and representatives from the Brazilian Latvian Cultural Alliance be established for the evaluation and selection of sketches and implementation of the project in the urban environment.
During a meeting with members of the Latvian community in Brazil, both face-to-face and listening to participants from 11 cities through a remote connection, the Ambassador told them of strong support provided by the Latvian government and people to Ukraine in its fight against the aggressor, and engaged in a discussion on the spread of disinformation about the war in Brazil. The Latvian community is following the hostilities with apprehension while being concerned about Brazil’s reticent stance.
The Latvian diaspora is very active; the choir and the dance group are working hard to prepare for this summer’s Song and Dance Festival in Riga and they are planning activities for cooperation with Latvia. It was a rewarding experience to meet patriotic and engaged young Latvians in Brazil, who learn Latvian, are seeking out opportunities to participate in Latvian National Guard training and associate their future with Latvia.