Fourth Meeting of the Liepāja 2027 Supervisory Board Held at the Ministry of Culture

On Thursday, 30 October, the Ministry of Culture convened the fourth meeting of the Supervisory Board for Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027.

During the meeting, the Liepāja 2027 team presented the members of the Supervisory Board with an overview of the programme’s current status. It was emphasized that the scope and ambition of the project require close interinstitutional cooperation, and that support from all parties involved — at both national and regional levels — is essential to ensure the continued successful progress of the preparatory phase.

Particular attention was devoted to issues of logistics and guest reception. To ensure comprehensive and timely planning, the team has been tasked, by the next meeting, with preparing more detailed information on the anticipated flow of visitors to the city and region, the availability of infrastructure, and mobility solutions. This work will be carried out in close cooperation with Liepāja municipal services, development institutions of the Kurzeme region, and partners within the national administration.

The progress in implementing the marketing and communication plan was also reviewed. The principal priority for the coming year will be the strengthening of international relations and the enhancement of Liepāja’s visibility at the European level. In this context, careful and targeted work is being conducted in cooperation with the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) to develop joint strategies for foreign markets, tourism promotion, and the advancement of international partnerships.

The meeting also addressed the recommendations of the European expert panel, and board members were informed about the progress achieved in recent months — particularly in strengthening programme implementation processes, improving project management systems, and developing new international cooperation projects.

Overall, the meeting confirmed positive progress towards the next stages of project preparation, demonstrating that the implementation of Liepāja 2027 is proceeding in accordance with the established plan, with the active involvement of diverse institutions and communities, and with strong support at both local and national levels.

As previously reported, the Supervisory Board was established by order of the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, to oversee the preparation and implementation of this significant project and to coordinate cooperation among the institutions involved. The Board is required to meet at least twice a year and to submit an annual report to the President on the progress achieved in the oversight of project planning and implementation. The Board’s decisions are of a recommendatory nature.

Photo: Oskars Artūrs Upenieks / Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia