Latvia has long viewed culture not as ornamentation, but as a pillar of national identity. With its deep-rooted literary heritage, enduring craftsmanship, and evolving design culture, the country’s creative landscape is both historically grounded and forward-looking. The inclusion of Latvian cities in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not a sudden arrival on the world stage, but a natural continuation of a cultural ethos that has always valued artistic expression, intellectual life, and community engagement. The Network—comprising over 300 cities that recognize creativity as a strategic driver for sustainable development—has become a platform where Latvia shares its voice and learns from others. Here, creativity is not a slogan. It is embedded in the texture of civic life, shaping how cities grow, how people connect, and how heritage becomes a living force in modern urban identity.

Riga joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2019 as a City of Literature—a designation that reflects its rich multilingual literary tradition and its living literary ecosystem. From the poetry of Aspazija to the urban prose of modern-day authors writing in Latvian, Russian, and beyond, Riga has always been a city shaped by language. What makes its literary life remarkable is not just the quality of writing, but the visibility of literature in the public sphere. Sidewalk poetry, book fairs, spoken word festivals, and international translation projects form a dense cultural fabric where literature is not confined to bookshelves—it walks the streets with you. Riga’s participation in the Network supports not only artistic exchange, but also strategic thinking: how literature can drive urban development, foster inclusion, and reinforce identity in an era of flux.

Liepāja, a coastal city once synonymous with military infrastructure and heavy industry, has quietly transformed itself into a hub of design-led urbanism. In 2022, it became Latvia’s second entrant into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, this time under the banner of City of Design. But the designation wasn’t granted for galleries or elite design studios—it was earned through the city’s ability to apply design thinking across public life. Revitalized post-industrial zones, human-centered public spaces, inclusive visual identities, and educational programs have reoriented Liepāja as a city where form serves function—and function serves people. The creative community here is tightly woven into the city’s planning and innovation strategies. From graphic design to urban furniture, from architecture to digital interfaces, design in Liepāja is about reimagining everyday life in a way that reflects both heritage and forward motion.

One of Latvia’s greatest strengths within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is its ability to remain distinctly local while engaging in global exchange. Both Riga and Liepāja draw from deep wells of cultural memory, whether through folklore, visual symbolism, or literary history. But this rootedness is not insular—it is a foundation for dialogue. Through international writer residencies, cross-border design workshops, and knowledge-sharing forums, Latvian creatives participate in a global network of cultural practitioners without losing sight of their origins. This two-way exchange—grounded at home, active abroad—ensures that Latvia does not simply absorb global trends, but contributes to shaping them. In doing so, it reaffirms that small nations can play major roles when authenticity and openness go hand in hand.

The work of Latvia’s creative cities is not limited to symbolic recognition or festival calendars. It is increasingly embedded in policy and planning at both municipal and national levels. Cultural mapping, community design processes, and support for creative industries have become core tools for addressing challenges that range from economic revitalization to demographic resilience. In Riga, literary initiatives are tied to tourism and education. In Liepāja, design principles are used in urban regeneration and social innovation. Latvia’s cultural planners are not just organizing events—they are rethinking systems. And in doing so, they align closely with the UNESCO Network’s mission: to integrate creativity into sustainable development frameworks, not just in words, but in infrastructure, investment, and daily civic life.

Being part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not a title—it is a responsibility. For Latvia, it is a commitment to nurture creative ecosystems, support the next generation of artists and designers, and ensure that culture remains at the heart of how cities evolve. This means continued investment in education, public engagement, and international collaboration. It also means preserving the authenticity that makes Riga and Liepāja not just creative, but meaningfully so. As the world navigates rapid technological, ecological, and demographic change, Latvia’s creative cities stand as examples of how culture can be a compass. Not just for heritage, not just for tourism, but for how we live, learn, and imagine the future.