CONFERENCEAttempts to Create a New Tradition: 9 May 2024 in Riga and Daugavpils
https://doi.org/10.22364/ms24.11 | pp. 108-122 | PDF
Vita Zelče
University of Latvia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5169-8862
Laura Ardava-Āboliņa
University of Latvia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5483-8744
Evelīna Kukarela
University of Latvia https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5542-500X
Anželika Litvinoviča
University of Latvia https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6239-921X
Abstract. The article discusses the celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War in Latvia on 9 May 2024. The Parliament of Latvia adopted a law “On the Prohibition against Organisation of Specific Public Events on 9 May” on 20 April 2023. This marked the end of the grand celebrations of Soviet Victory Day in public squares and streets of cities and the beginning of new celebration practices. The article presents observations made by researchers in Victory Park, Ivan’s Cemetery, Matīss Cemetery, and Rainis Cemetery in Riga, as well as in Slavas Square and Dubrovins Park in Daugavpils on 9 May 2024. The researchers’ observations allow to conclude that a transformation of the celebration of the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War on 9 May has taken place in the Latvian public space. The abandonment of the celebration of 9 May is ensured by the active work of state security structures, therefore the celebration does not take place openly. Soviet military cemeteries became the main place to celebrate 9 May in the larger cities of Latvia’. Soviet Victory Day is still a major holiday for a large part of the Latvian population, especially Russian-speaking ones. However, the celebration of 9 May in Latvia has declined significantly. The practices of celebrating the Soviet Union’s victory in the Great Patriotic War are in a transitional stage.
Keywords: 9 May, Soviet Victory Day, celebration, Victory Park in Riga, Dubrovins Park in Daugavpils, Soviet military cemeteries
In: Media and Society, 2024. Proceedings of Scientific Papers = Mediji un sabiedrība, 2024. Rakstu krājums. Riga, University of Latvia, 2025. 137 p.