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More than 100 members of South Australia’s Latvian community celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Latvian Association at a Parliament House reception hosted by the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Hon. Michael Atkinson M.P.
The evening was compered by Mr Hieu Van Le, Lieutenant Governor of South Australia, and Chairman of the South Australian Multicultural and Ethnic Affairs Commission and included Dr Valdis Tomanis, Honorary Consul of Latvia in South Australia and Deputy Chairman of the Latvian Association of South Australia, Dr Peteris Strazds, President of the Association of Latvian Organisations in South Australia and Mr Ilmars Lusis, President of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Australia.
Mr Atkinson said the Latvian Association was formed in January 1949 when 12 local Latvians signed provisional statutes for a Latvian association.
This was endorsed by a larger meeting two weeks later at the aristocratic Curzon Theatre.
Mr Atkinson said he was pleased that one of the 12 people who attended that milestone meeting in 1949, Mr Gunars Matisons, had been able to attend the reception.
“With speed and energy, what was initially known as the Latvian Club of South Australia started practically helping its members and organising all manner of activities, events and sub-groups,” Mr Atkinson said.
“The range of programs established in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s was remarkable. They included a literary group, basketball and volleyball clubs, an assistance fund for invalids, a folk-dancing troupe, a women’s auxiliary, and a Latvian school and museum that are still operating in 2009.
“The name, membership and focus of the Association have changed over the past six decades, but the objectives set down in 1949 are still being achieved with diligence and panache.”
Click here to go to the photo gallery from the Latvian Association 60th anniversary at Parliament House.
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