Ekselences! Cienījamās dāmas un godātie kungi! Man ir liels gods sveikt Jūs šodien Rīgā. Sirsnīgi sveicu Igaunijas Valsts prezidentu un kundzi. Sirsnīgi sveicu Lietuvas Valsts prezidentu un kundzi. Sirsnīgi sveicu Vācijas Federālo prezidentu un kundzi, kā arī delegāciju. Man ir patiess prieks, ka uz Rīgas 800. gadadienas svinībām ir atbraukuši Latvijas kaimiņi, draugi un partneri.

Brīvās un neatkarīgās Latvijas Republikas galvaspilsēta svin 800 gadu jubileju. Kopš 12. gadsimta beigām, kad pie Rīdziņas ietekas Daugavā uz dzīvi apmetās lībieši, zemgaļi, ieceļotāji no Kursas un kopš 1201. gada, kad savu rezidenci uz Rīgu pārcēla Brēmenes bīskaps Alberts, mēs esam kopā nogājuši garu ceļu astoņsimt gadu ilgajā un mainīgajā vēsturē. 13. gadsimtā Rīga kļūst par Hanzas savienības locekli. Kā hronikās rakstīts, Rīga, Livonijas metropole, izveidojās par vienu no ietekmīgākajām Hanzas pilsētām, kļūstot par Ziemeļeiropas tirdzniecības un sabiedriskās dzīves centru.

Cauri gadu simtiem Rīga izstarojusi lielu pievilkšanas spēku, kas piesaistījis gan tās iedzīvotājus, gan Rīgā nonākušos. Vācu zinātnieki, mākslinieki un sabiedriskie darbinieki ir atstājuši savus vārdus un darbus Rīgas vēsturē. Kā pilsētas teātra direktors vairākus gadus Rīgā darbojās Rihards Vāgners, Rīga ir bijusi šūpulis rakstniekam Verneram Bergengrīnam, zinātnisko darbību Rīgā ir sācis pazīstamais ķīmiķis, Nobela prēmijas laureāts Vilhelms Ostvalds. Rīga slavina arī Johanu Gotfrīdu Herderu, kurš šeit strādādams, smēlies ierosmi vairākiem saviem darbiem. Saskarsme, kas tuvina mūsu zemes un tautas vairāku gadsimteņu garumā, arī šodien ļauj dziļi izkopt kultūras tradīcijas un padziļināt mūsu garīgo dialogu. Vēlos atzīmēt paaudžu paaudzēs sniegto vācbaltiešu ieguldījumu Rīgas un visas Latvijas kultūras un saimnieciskajā dzīvē. Vācbaltieši arī šodien kā tilta cēlēji uztur saikni ar bijušo dzimteni.

Mēs lepojamies, ka Rīgas dēls ir igauņu mūsdienīgās dzejas aizsācējs Kristjans Jāks Petersons (Kristjan Jaak Petersen). 19. gadsimta beigās Rīga kļuva par nozīmīgu izglītības un zinātnes centru. Mēs esam priecīgi, ka daudzus Lietuvas valsts un kultūras darbiniekus kā savus skolniekus iepazina Rīgas mācību iestādēs – Rīgas ģimnāzijās un Rīgas politehnikumā. Atļaujiet nosaukt vien dažus to dienu skolniekus, kuru vārdi Lietuvai vēlāk kļuva tik nozīmīgi—armijas izveidotājs Antanas Juozapavičius, mākslinieks Petras Kalpokas, arhibīskaps Mečislovas Reinys.

Pirmo reizi savas pastāvēšanas vēsturē Rīga svin savu simtgadi kā Latvijas Republikas galvaspilsēta, turklāt šogad augustā tā atzīmē pirmo desmitgadi kā atjaunotas valsts galvaspilsēta. Priecājos, ka Vācijas Federatīvā Republika bija starp pirmajām valstīm, kas 1991. gada 28. augustā atkal atjaunoja diplomātiskās attiecības ar trim Baltijas valstīm—Latviju, Lietuvu un Igauniju. Aizvadītajā gadu desmitā starp mūsu valstīm atkal sazarojuši patiesi labi un uzticības pilni kontakti. Latvijas un Vācijas sadarbībai ir ielikti stipri pamati. Plaša un auglīga sadarbība saista visas trīs Baltijas valstis.

Latvija, Igaunija, Lietuva un Vācija kā Baltijas jūras reģiona valstis saista ne tikai Mare Balticum, tās tuvas kopīgās vērtībās, tās vienotas kopīgos nākotnes mērķos. Baltijas jūras telpā atkal kūsā dzīvība, kas šim reģionam Eiropā paredz visstraujākās attīstības garu. Tam ir liels politiskās, ekonomiskās, zinātnes un kultūras attīstības spēks. Latvija ir aktīva reģionālās un pārrobežu sadarbības dalībniece, lai minam kaut vai šī gada septembra nogalē Rīgā plānoto e-biznesa forumu. Ar gandarījumu varam atzīmēt, ka Vācijas Federatīvā Republika ir veiksmīgi aizvadījusi savu prezidentūru Baltijas jūras valstu padomē. Esmu pārliecināta, ka arī turpmāk mūsu valstis nežēlos pūliņus, lai īstenotu visam reģionam svarīgus projektus.

Baltijas valstis ir gatavas rūpēties par mūsu kontinenta drošību un stabilitāti. Mēs gribam pievienoties to valstu saimei, ar kurām mūs vieno un saista kopīgās vērtības. Konsekventa integrācija ES un NATO ir ne tikai Latvijas, Lietuvas un Igaunijas stratēģiskie mērķi. Šie jautājumi kļuvuši par visas valsts un sabiedrības dzīves sastāvdaļu. Vienīgi kļūstot par ES un NATO dalībvalstīm, Latvija, Lietuva un Igaunija pilnīgi iekļausies drošības un stabilitātes telpā. Mēs augstu vērtējam draugu un sabiedroto atbalstu ceļā uz ES un NATO. Mēs paļaujamies, ka Vācija kā ES dibinātājvalsts un NATO dalībvalsts konsekventi un mērķtiecīgi iestāsies par Baltijas valstu iestāšanos Eiropas Savienība un Ziemeļatlantijas Aliansē.

Baltijas valstīm un Vācijai ir vislabākie priekšnoteikumi, lai veicinātu vienotas Eiropas tapšanu mūsu valstu labklājībai, mūsu kaimiņu labklājībai, Eiropas labklājībai.

Ekselences, es vēlētos uzsaukt tostu… par Rīgu un tās iedzīvotājiem!… par mūsu valstu un tautu auglīgu sadarbību!… par vienotas Eiropas nākotni!

Our family just attended our first 3×3 camp in Latvia. We had already had a great introduction to the way 3×3 works back in January 2000 when we braved the Australian summer heat and headed off to the camp in Falls Creek, Victoria, for what proved to be an exhilarating experience that we wanted to repeat in the near future.

At the time we were rather exhausted as we had ventured to the camp with an active four-year-old and a (barely) one-year-old toddler. Our children are now slightly older and as we have already started to forget our “trials” in 2000, we felt ready for something on a grander scale.

The 3×3 camp in Rucava was to take place July 15-22 in the southwestern Latvian town close to the Lithuanian border. We had been informed that we would be transported to the camp from Rīga by bus on the morning of the 15th. So we headed off to Dailes teātris at 10 a.m. The first bus drove off without a hitch. But tragedy had struck the second bus—the one we were waiting for—on its way from Rucava to Rīga. We were deeply shocked to learn the driver and his young son died when the bus collided with a train at the Kalvene railway crossing and rolled over. Even more astounding was the news that the Rucava 3×3 camp leader, Dace Jurka, had originally planned to be on the bus but had changed her mind at the last minute.

Such an eerie introduction to the camp left many wondering about fate, God and the powers that be.

This was the 22nd Latvian 3×3 camp held in Latvia. Many of the people in charge looked like they already knew each other well and greeted each other with warm hugs and smiling faces. Seeing as we were true newcomers (as were most of the other camp participants), we entered the Rucava school grounds with a touch of apprehension but a strong feeling that we would very soon feel at home here.

We had chosen to board with one of the locals. We were immediately whisked away to the other side of Rucava (a two-minute drive away!) and introduced to our “landlady” for the week: a homely, smiling rucavniece who showed us to our quarters. We had stayed with friends and relatives in the countryside before so we were not surprised at all by our accommodations. Our main criteria for a pleasant stay is hospitality and a smiling face from the host. We immediately felt this warmth from our host, so we were certain we had been put together with the right person.

The walk back to the camp at a brisk pace would take 20 minutes. But with our two dawdlers in tow—who had to inspect every cow, dog, chicken and cat on the way—the walk took a bit longer. Our motto: the more fresh country air we breathe, the better!

We knew a few people—all “Westerners”—but in no time at all we had chatted to strangers with smiling faces and warm hearts, keen to meet this Latvian family from “down under.” It did not take too long to feel like part of a big family. A great way to meet people was at mealtimes. I don’t think we ever ended up sitting next to the same camp participant twice. I hope the reason for this was not our active children who scared mealtime “neighbors” away! Every mealtime proved to be an introduction to another soul, some keen to chat, others more reserved. The 3×3 organizers actively promoted this by encouraging everyone to greet each other using the personal pronoun “tu” instead of “Jus” in conversation, to wear our name tags at all times and to deliberately find a new person to sit next to each mealtime.

Some statistics may be worth mentioning at this point. There were 426 people in the Rucava 3×3 camp, including all the participants, organizers, cooks, cleaners and local rucavnieki who attended. Of these, 102 participants were locals while the remainder came from all four corners of the earth, some from the United States, Canada, Magadan (in far eastern Russia) and Australia, but most from within Latvian borders.

The first evening was spent in the Rucava open-air amphitheater, enjoying the talents of the locals, both young and old. Particularly impressive were the elderly Rucava ladies (our host was among them) singing ancient local songs in their national costumes. The festivities came to a premature halt when nature took over. A freak storm—a sudden wind followed by a full thunder and lightning extravaganza—put on a grand show that was later described by camp organizers as consistent with the theme of the camp, which was “fire.” We all later marvelled at the pine trees that had been struck by lightning only a couple of metres from the camp buildings.

The next six days of this camp raced by like a whirlwind. All I remember is that at a constantly hurried pace I was forever either handing my children over to the camp kindergarten (for three- to six-year-olds), racing to an ievirze (as the camp activities are called), being transported somewhere by one of the camp’s buses, eating yet another delicious meal or falling exhausted into bed after a full day’s activities (after killing an army of vicious mosquitoes that had taken us hostage in our bedroom).

The ievirzes at this 3×3 camp, about 30 in all, were many and varied: floristry, jewelry making, felt toy making, the art of ancient Latvian weaponmaking, theatre, discussions about Latvian politics, the Latvian oral history project (mutvārdu vēsture), a seminar focusing on family issues led by Māra Tupese and Līga Ruperte, Latvian cooking, literature, various folklore topics and many, many more activities. It would have been a hard task not to find at least one activity that sounded interesting!

In addition to all these ievirzes, on offer were excursions to a list of interesting sights in the Rucava region: the Latvian brumbies (savvaļas zirgi), the local “holy spring” (svētavots), Pape beach for regular swims, and a half-day excursion to Lithuania, including the dolphin show near Klaipeda and the amber museum in Palanga. However, the most interesting of these excursions was the trip to Nida beach where the organizers had planned such a varied program that it was impossible for anyone to complain about boredom: a sports carnival, a folkloric performance by Liepaja theatre actors, the opportunity to join local fishermen when they hauled in their day’s catch, and a feast of fish soup and rye bread. The most moving of this afternoon’s activities was a theatrical yet deeply symbolic “uguns daudzinājums”—fire worship—as a climax to the theme of this year’s 3×3 camp.

Most of all I enjoyed the chance to exchange ideas about any topic under the sun with other participants young and old. Our children had a great time as well, playing with Latvian kids in Latvian, not English, as they are used to doing in their home country of Australia. It was also interesting to chat to Latvian teenagers (there were about 50 of them at the camp) and catch a glimpse of their world view.

Overall the whole family found this week to be a hectic yet extremely positive experience, one we would certainly want to repeat sometime in the near future!