Category: Talks

From fear to fortitude – a journey through life (and the forest) | Anna Ķirse

Everyone has something that they are afraid of. For Anna Ķirse, that something happened to be almost everything. But facing the realization that fear might prevent her from pursuing her dreams, Anna was able to turn fear into her ally,...

Bella | PRAGAII – performance

You know that feeling when it seems that everything is just a bit too much? This piece was created when PRAGAII were at a low place, and what helped them get out of that funk was – work. Day by...

Becoming a bullshit warrior – and being happier for it | Ralfs Eilands

Whether we like it or not, every one of us experiences a certain amount of untruthfulness throughout the day. White lies can seem innocent at face level, but when stacked upon more, we enter a society of untruths. Musician Ralfs...

Not just another number – maintaining humanity and identity in detention | Ilvija Pūce

What happens with a human in detention, removed of their freedom and former identity? How is it that people who were among ‘us’ suddenly become ‘them’, as if they are something alien? And how do these terms prevent us from...

Reaching new heights – a man and his piano | Dāvids Kļaviņš

There is no sure way to success but creating the absolute best of something is not the worst place to start. This was Dāvids Kļaviņš epiphany after a random encounter with a stranger in a café, starting a long journey...

Trust – the underrated element of getting things done | Jānis Erts

When so much in life is unpredictable, the most direct approach to personal and societal well-being is to foster trust. Trust is a habit, and like all habits, must be trained. And the best teachers? Children. Civic activist Jānis Erts...

When social policies fail in a time of economic crisis | Liene Ozoliņa

When the economic crisis of 2008 hit, communities around the world took to the streets, inspired by the “Occupy Wallstreet” movement, to protest the social inequality of the recession. But Latvia, the second-hardest-hit country, was tranquil. Social policies put the...

The dangers of foregoing emotional due diligence | Aleksander Tõnnisson

No matter how rational we may try to be, emotions and feelings lie behind every decision we make. In today’s world of analytics and data-driven decision-making, however, we often fail to take into account the impact our feelings have on...

Finding freedom in playfulness | Andris Gauja

Calculating the benefit received versus the effort put in has become an automatic and subconscious process in considering any effort. And quite possibly restricts us from experiencing true joy. Filmmaker Andris Gauja describes how approaching a seemingly dead end with...

Parenting after Everest: perspectives from the top | Olga Kotova

One day a particularly ill-prepared hike triggered Olga’s curiosity about being in the mountains. It was the beginning of a long journey to many summits, including that of Mt Everest. However, her most precious discoveries were not the summits themselves,...