At the recent Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Celebration, the “Riga Wood” birch plywood produced by AS “Latvijas Finieris” was an integral and significant part of the stage design at the event venues. This hard-wearing material was used to build the scenery stands and new conductors' podiums, and the plywood gave the stages their strength; a hill was even constructed – a piece of scenery on which the participants danced.

Both in the culture of “Latvijas Finieris” and in the organisation of the School Youth Song and Dance Celebration, sustainability and circularity are a strategic choice and one of the priorities. Looking for a way to give the material a second life, the organisers of the song and dance celebration handed the plywood donated by “Latvijas Finieris” and used at five of the celebration venues over to 11 vocational schools. It is intended to be used in their teaching.

Uģis Ozols, Executive Director of “Riga Wood Baltic”:

“At “Latvijas Finieris” we believe that every sheet of plywood we make can serve more than one purpose. The Song and Dance Celebration is a major event in Latvia's cultural life, and we are proud that the material we produce could be part of this beautiful story. Even more importantly, though, together with the celebration team we found a way to extend the life cycle of the birch plywood by handing it over to educational institutions, where it will serve creative and practical learning. This approach not only affirms our sustainability principles, but also helps to strengthen the education and woodworking skills of future generations.”

Meanwhile Inga Vasiļjeva, head of the Action Group of the 13th Latvian School Youth Song and Dance Celebration, emphasises:

“Thank you to “Latvijas Finieris” for supporting the celebration over many years. As the organisers, we care about sensible and sustainable management, and it matters to us that the materials find a meaningful use after the events as well. Back in 2023, at the Latvian Song and Dance Celebration, we took the first steps together in this direction, and we are delighted that this time we have managed to go even further!”

It should be added that the material was delivered to the following educational institutions: Riga Art and Media Technical School, Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School, Latgale Industrial Technical School, Jelgava Technology Secondary School, Kuldīga Technology and Tourism Technical School, Liepāja State Technical School, Ogre Technical School, Smiltene Technical School, Riga Technical College, Aizkraukle Vocational Secondary School and Riga State Technical School.