Proclamation Day of the Republic of Latvia
November 18 · Level 9 · #317 of 2238
Latvia's national day marks the proclamation of the republic in 1918. It celebrates the birth of an independent state and remembers the people who worked to establish it and keep the idea of freedom alive.
How it is celebrated: maroon-and-white flags appear across the country, with official ceremonies, concerts and a military parade. People lay flowers at Riga's Freedom Monument, while families and friends gather for festive meals.
The republic was proclaimed in a theatre: the building now home to the Latvian National Theatre in Riga. A stage became the setting for a defining moment in the country's history.