LAMPA 2024: Discussions on Belarus’ future as part of the Nordic-Baltic region, masterclass on Food management skills and the future of Latvia’s nightlife culture
At the 10th annual conversation festival LAMPA in Cēsīs, we conducted insightful and thought-provoking discussions in the Nordic Tent.
On Day 1, we opened the first panel in the Nordic Tent, devoted to Belarus’ potential to integrate into the broader Baltic Sea region as the “fourth Baltic state“. This event was held in collaboration with the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Belarus Research Network for Neighbourhood Policy. The panel featured the newly elected MEP Mārtiņš Staķis, President of the Nordic Council Bryndís Haraldsdóttir, Danish writer and founder of the Danish-Belarusian culture society “Beladania” Birgitte Hammer, Professor at Uppsala University, Swedish-Belarusian historian Andrej Kotljarchuk and the leader of democratic Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Lizaveta Dubinka-Hushcha, DCI’s Regional Director for the Baltic States, moderated the panel.
The discussion explored Belarus’ historical connections with the Nordic-Baltic region and its potential to renew and strengthen those ties. On this subject, Birgitte Hammer highlighted the significant role of Queen Sofia from Minsk in the Danish history, noting her Belarusian origin. Professor Andrej Kotljarchuk emphasized the critical role of research in uncovering Belarus’ history, informing the public about the challenges faced by the democratic forces in Belarus, and supporting its culture and civil society. In this regard, Bryndís Haraldsdóttir highlighted the importance of engaging young people in Nordic and Baltic states in raising awareness about this neighbouring country and being curious about its European history and national identity. Mārtiņš Staķis shared the Latvian experience of rebranding the country after re-gaining its independence and the particular role of diaspora.
On Day 2, we started the morning by hosting the discussion and masterclass titled “Up the Taste, Down the Waste! How food management skills can save food and lead to culinary adventures“ in cooperation with the Nordic Council of Ministers. This panel, moderated by Maija Krastiņa from Zero Waste Latvija, delved into the critical issue of food waste, featuring insights from Zanda Šadre, Director of Corporate Responsibility and Communication at Rimi Baltic Group, anthropologist Marta Muizniece from Jaunrades laboratorija, Inga Belousa from the association Green Liberty and Elvijs Šlājevs, creator of Portsia.app, which connects food sellers with end users.
Zanda Šadre shared some optimistic data, that less food is being thrown out now than two years ago, though she noted that it still amounts to 6kg per week. Inga Belousa suggested reframing waste as a resource in the daily language and emphasized the need for systemic solutions, including integrated policy in kitchens, economic support, and education on the circularity of food—from shopping and storage to using leftovers and composting. Marta Muizniece highlighted community fridges as a practical solution but noted challenges due to Latvia’s stringent food legislation. Besides Elvijs Šlājevs’ Portsia.app, other innovative apps for reducing food waste were mentioned. These included “Olio”, for sharing household items and food waste locally, and “Shelfie”, for managing product shelf life at homes, supermarkets, and pharmacies. Moreover, “Disco soups“ were highlighted as community-engaging events where people cook soup together using saved vegetables. Nils Ģēvele, Michelin Young Chef Award winner and Head Chef of FERMA Restaurant, demonstrated creative ways to transform food leftovers into delicious meals, such as through fermentation of vegetables. He emphasized the value of using every part of the ingredient and challenged the notion of perfect food, suggesting that imperfection can lead to culinary innovation.
Day 2 was completed with a discussion about the nightlife culture in Latvia as an important part of society, driven by people’s enthusiasm to create culture outside the usual framework. Our CCI Research and Development Advisor, Zanete Eglite participated in the panel discussion on the future of Latvia’s nightlife at Underground Brūzis, alongside with a Co-founder of Urban Institute Jonas Büchel, an Artist and DJ Nina Elektrichka, an urban explorer Martin Engel and Uldis Zarins, Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia for Cultural Policy. The speakers explored the next steps and methods to ensure that night cultural venues are recognized as an integral part of Latvia’s culture. Key outcomes included a deeper understanding of the nightlife concept, breaking existing stereotypes, and highlighting the importance of recognizing nightlife as a cultural phenomenon and a source of wellbeing for people. While challenges such as finance and audience remain, the discussion generated several ideas for future development.