Today, the Cabinet of Ministers considered and approved the informative report “On the Strategy for the Implementation of a Unified National Image of Latvia”, which envisages that Latvia will be presented internationally as a country that is ready to take on global challenges and offer solutions created in Latvia to the world. The national image will be created through the mission-orientated approach, the first mission to be developed will be Jūra 2030. The unifying element in the work on the national image within the Jūra 2030 mission will be the restoration of natural water cycles. The next steps entail the creation of a unified strategy and action plan, as well as assessment research of Latvia’s national image carried out in ten countries.
“To solve today’s global challenges related to the implementation of the sustainability principle in public administration and business we must change our thinking. The European Green Deal is a chance for Latvia to transform its economy, become more competitive and build shared prosperity. We hope to set an example through the Jūra 2030 mission, and inspire other countries with our stories. At the same time, working on the national image is an opportunity to unite society to achieve common goals,” said Minister of the Economy, Jānis Vitenbergs.
The selection of the Jūra 2030 mission was made through an extensive collaborative process involving representatives of the society, Latvians living abroad, industry and government leaders. The President of Latvia, Egils Levits, also joined the National Image Initiative Group.
With the Jūra 2030 mission, Latvia stands up internationally for access to clean water for everyone in the world. This is the message we want to send to the world. Results can be achieved by developing a new economy that restores a natural system of clean water cycles. To accomplish the clean water mission, the new economy and governance model will be built locally – in the Baltic Sea region. This approach will help create the conditions to clean up the world’s most polluted and endangered sea.
“What we are creating is the national image, therefore this time we want to build Latvia’s story on the basis of specific examples. They will help demonstrate how our actions and initiatives can offer solutions that not only help ourselves, but also tackle issues of global importance. To be heard by the world, we must first think about what we can give others and how we can set an example. One of our strengths is our ability to do complex things quickly and well, to take on different challenges and to become a platform for innovation. Thinking globally, we will act locally, enabling a new breakthrough for Latvian entrepreneurs and society as a whole,” said LIAA Director Kaspars Rožkalns, adding that the Jūra 2030 mission is a common challenge that goes hand in hand with both the EU Green Deal and the reindustrialisation plan of the Latvian economy.
Building a national image is an opportunity to create a value-based story that can deliver economic and innovation breakthroughs by engaging not only the public administration, but also sector leaders, entrepreneurs, social partners and a wide range of partners beyond our borders, including compatriots living abroad. Through the mission, the work on developing a unified national image will become a policy direction that we follow in the long term.
For the mission to be achieved, an effective governance model or navigation centre, long-term investment instruments and a platform for the development of various new initiatives need to be developed. In the development of long-term investment instruments, it is planned to attract Latvian and international pension funds that are ready to invest in projects with a payback period of several decades.
Studies by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that global investment in the blue or sustainability economy is growing every year and is projected to double by 2030, exceeding investment in traditional forms of business by EUR 400 billion. We must be ready to play our part in shaping the new global economy by taking initiative and leadership.
LIAA started working on the development of a unified national image at the end of 2020, and in June 2021 the Latvian Institute was incorporated into the LIAA structure, thus consolidating public administration institutions to achieve common goals. The content of the country’s national image is based on insights from the work of a design thinking process of 116 opinion leaders, which defined our shared values of being: connectors of different worlds, ready for new challenges, and also a platform for creative experimentation. The EUR 4 million invested in the national image campaign over the three-year period will add EUR 128 million to the existing investment plan and create 4,500 new jobs.
You can follow the process of developing a national image at http://missionlatvia.com/