Dear visitor, Welcome to the revised website of the Netherlands Embassy in Riga. I hope this site will provide answers to all your questions. If you should have more questions than the WebPages can answer, do not hesitate to contact us by telephone or by e-mail. Since my arrival in Latvia in August 2008, inevitably, the main topic everywhere I went on my visits in the country and in my meetings with a great variety of representatives of Latvian society was the global financial and economic crisis. I would like to express my admiration for the dignity and calm resolution of our Latvian friends and partners in these very difficult days. As I said in a previous version of this Webpage, I remain confident that the many intensive relations between our two countries, for instance, in the fields of trade promotion, education and culture, will not be affected unduly by the uncertainties and cutbacks we all face. Fortunately, at the beginning of a new year, I can point to trade figures which show a strong performance by exporters from The Netherlands. This Embassy, often in close cooperation with the Netherlands-Latvian Chambers of Commerce, will continue to stimulate and support  collective initiatives in the field of trade and investment, with a particular focus on increasing the added value of wood processing, renewable energy, energy-efficiency in buildings, agriculture and horticulture and food trade. Meanwhile, bilateral contacts in the energy and environmental sectors are promising interesting and innovative results. As always, the Embassy stands ready to assist individual companies wishing to do business in Latvia. This year we will continue our cooperation with Latvian civil society and with a variety of Non-Governmental Organisations. I am especially proud to announce that in 2010 the Embassy is again able to realize with our Latvian partners a number of interesting cultural projects. Please, check this website regularly, for instance, for news about several special performances by Dutch musicians due to take place in the months to come. On Saturday, 22 May 2010, the successful bicycle joint-venture with the European Commission and the City of Kuldiga will be organized for the third time. Obviously, we will also celebrate our national day. This year ‘Koninginnedag’ in Latvia will be on Wednesday, 28 April. Early May, the Embassy plans a special contribution to the celebration, organized to mark 20 years of the restored independence of Latvia. So, may I invite you to visit this website frequently for updates and details of events and manifestations ‘Made in Holland’? Jurriaan Kraak Ambassador January 2010