More than 11 000 signatures have been collected on “ManaBalss.lv” portal in favour of making Lāčplēsis Day an official holiday in Latvia, according to information from the portal.
If a public initiative receives at least 10 000 signatures, it can be submitted to the parliament for review.
“Lāčplēsis Day has a special significance in our history and should be a day when everyone can attend events with their family and society in order to feel belonging to Latvia and honour our heroes,” says the author of the initiative Andris Balcers. The official status of the holiday would not only strengthen national identity, but also help in educating young generations about the history of Latvia.
Balcers believes that the 11th of November, the Day of Remembrance of the Heroes of Latvia, deserves a special status as a public holiday, allowing all citizens to honour the Latvian freedom fighters in a full and unifying atmosphere.