The main objective of the Grant Scheme "Strengthening civil society and promotion of the integration of society" was to facilitate understanding and cooperation between people of different ethnic origin, create favorable social, cultural and information conditions for national minorities in Latvia and encourage development of national minority organizations.

The EEA Financial Mechanism Grant Scheme "Strengthening civil society and promotion of the integration of society" was implemented during 2009 and 2010.

Within the Grant schemes 32 projects were implemented with total funding 688 234 EUR. The Projects involved different nationalities living in Latvia: Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, Jews, Georgians, Moldovans, Livs, Estonians, Roma, and society of Latvia in general.

Within the projects:

• 15 organisations have received support for capacity building and trained 159 members and participants
• 12 thousand people have attended 81 cultural event and were introduced to the culture and traditions of national minorities living in Latvia
• Wide range of materials about culture, history and religion of national minorities have been published, incl. books, DVD`s, informative booklet and CD`s;
• Translation of literature was supported: Poem “Mūžības skartie” (“Touched by Eternity”) by Latvian writer Aleksandrs Čaks was published in the Georgian language, book „History of Latvia” was published in the Russian language, 103 audio tales in the languages of national minorities with the translation into Latvian were published online;
• 10 broadcasts, 15 radio interviews, a newly created web portal, informative materials, articles and documentary film promoted public interest about the ethnic integration issues
• 873 students and 16 teachers from 14 schools have been cooperating actively and organising extracurricular activities, which promoted cooperation between students of different nationalities.

You are welcome to take a look at the Grant Scheme "Strengthening civil society and promotion of the integration of society" brochure , which provides a brief insight into the wide range of projects’ results. Let them give you inspiration to discover the cultural richness and diversity of nationalities living in Latvia!