“Latvijas skolas soma” 2023/2024

In the first semester of the 2023/2024 school year, within the cultural education programme “Latvijas skolas soma”, our secondary school students take part in an interactive cultural education lesson “Pranks and Fairy Tales”, which is based on the principles of the “breakout game”, which promotes the development of various skills in a creative and educational way. In the introductory part of the lesson, the pupils expand and strengthen their knowledge and cultural awareness of the personality and works of Imants Ziedonis. The main part of the lesson is devoted to a deeper study of Imants Ziedonis’ fairy tales from the book “Pranks and Fairy Tales”, promoting literacy and emphasising the values of the writer. Pupils have to perform a series of interrelated tasks that promote literacy, creativity and participation.

Primary and primary school pupils take part in an educational musical lesson “Rhythm and Sound in the World”. Musicians Nils Īle and Maija Sējāne-Īle introduce pupils to various musical and sound instruments from Latvia and the wider world. Listening to each of them, pupils are encouraged to look for similarities with sounds found in nature and actively play along. It is a conversation in the language of music, during which everyone has the opportunity not only to look and listen, but also to touch and try the musical instruments on offer.

In the second semester of the 2023/2024 school year, as part of the cultural education programme “Latvijas skolas soma”, our pre-primary school children had the opportunity to go on a Mikhail Chekhov’s theatre discovery excursion “Prudent Meetings”, which is an educational and interesting theatre experience, looking into the rooms and corridors that the audience never gets into. Actors present the history of the theatre and share interesting facts and personal, curious stories from everyday theatre life.

Primary and secondary school pupils attend the musical performance “Robin Hood” by Mikhail Chekhov’s Riga Russian Theatre. Robin Hood” is a musical play about how a noble robber appeared in a medieval kingdom known for its thick forests, patient inhabitants and high taxes. The legend of Robin Hood is about values that are still relevant to our society today, and especially to young people – about courage, about love, about goodness, about defiance and about power as a tool that can be used for both good and bad ends.

Primary school pupils visit the permanent exhibition of the “Hat World” museum. The museum’s collection includes hundreds of different headdresses representing many cultures, both current and past, as well as ethnic groups that are passing away. The exhibition features headdresses from all over the world, which are rightly considered the most important part of an ethnographic costume. Each exhibit demonstrates the traditions and culture of the people it represents. In the museum, you can not only see these hats, but also take pictures and try them on, which the children actively did. The final activity was a hands-on activity, where everyone made hats with great enthusiasm.

Primary school pupils take part in the performance “The Art of Magic in Ancient and Modern Times” with illusionist Edži Kauķis. In the show, the illusionist makes the pupils feel like representatives of the ancient world, making them realise that even thousands of years ago, people were human and simple. Through the participation of the pupils, the show will demonstrate the historical journey from the origins of illusionism to the contemporary manifestations of the art form – it is the involvement of the pupils and the humour that surrounds the performance that will make them remember not only the facts about the development and history of the profession, but also the portrayal of the historical man, thus broadening the horizons of each spectator. The performance will make you think that contemporary professions are also an undeniable part of Latvian culture.

The cultural education programme “Latvijas skolas soma” gave pupils the opportunity to get to know Latvian cultural values and contemporary expressions, thus developing competence in cultural understanding and expression, reducing social inequality and fostering pride in their country and its people.

Cultural events provide artistic enjoyment, stimulate reflection on issues of personal importance and social relevance, and entertain while helping to broaden horizons and learning.