To educate Ukrainian civilians about the importance of learning the Latvian language, the One Stop Agency (VPA) organized an educational seminar titled “Why Learn the Latvian Language?”, where Ukrainian civilians gathered to learn more about Latvian culture, the origins of the Latvian language, its unique features, and opportunities to study the language for free.

This was the first time such a seminar was held, with the aim of inspiring Ukrainians living in Liepāja and its surroundings to learn Latvian. In order for newcomers to successfully integrate into the country’s social and economic environment, it is essential to develop a shared understanding of Latvian culture, traditions, history, and especially the language, which plays a key role.

During the event, two Ukrainian civilians shared inspiring personal stories. Having fled the war in Ukraine, they found refuge in Liepāja and managed to learn the state language in a short period of time. “Within the first six months after arriving in Latvia, I was lucky to have the opportunity to start Latvian language courses. I realized how important it is to be able to communicate in Latvian, and that strengthened my motivation to learn the language. I studied Latvian with interest, and the learning process was relatively easy for me,” said Alona, a Ukrainian civilian from a suburb of Kyiv, who arrived in Latvia on March 8, 2022.

She hopes to return to her homeland as soon as the war in Ukraine ends. “When I arrived in Latvia, I understood that in order to adapt better, communicate with local residents, and integrate into society, it was necessary to learn Latvian,” shared Kateryna, a Ukrainian civilian from Kherson, who has been living in Latvia for almost a year and a half and speaks Latvian at a conversational level. VPA provides individual support and consultations to all third-country nationals, including Ukrainian civilians, who make up approximately 40% of the total client base.

VPA also manages the information hotline “Help for Ukrainians in Latvia” – 27 380 380, where personalized consultations on relevant issues are available for Ukrainian civilians. The event was organized in cooperation with the Liepāja City Municipality Administration and the professional continuing education institution “Pure Academy.” According to data, just over 46,000 Ukrainian civilians have registered for temporary protection status. Last year, 32,927 Ukrainian civilians were registered as active in Latvian municipalities, having sought assistance. Of these, 38% were men and 62% women. The highest number of registrations was in Rīga, Liepāja, Ludza Municipality, and Daugavpils. The One Stop Agency in Liepāja has been operating since April of last year.

The Kurzeme regional branch is located in the premises of the Liepāja City Council, Rožu Street 6 (Room 108). Clients can receive consultations both in person and remotely: Mondays from 14:00 to 18:00, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9:00 to 13:00, Thursdays and Fridays from 12:00 to 16:00. Phone for inquiries and booking consultations: +371 29570364. More information about the One Stop Agency, its services, and updates is available on the website: www.integration.lv and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/iialatvia.

Services of the Integration and Inclusion Agency are provided by the Society Integration Foundation within the framework of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund’s project (Agreement No. PMIF/13.1./2022/1/01). The funding has been allocated by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (75%) and Latvian State budget (25%).