On 2 March, for the first time in Latvian history, the Remembrance Day for the National Partisan Armed Resistance will be marked. As part of the proceedings, Balvi Municipality is organising several events with the participation of the State President, as well as the Ministers of Defence, Justice, and Agriculture.

It is planned that the morning of the opening event will begin with the laying of flowers in Balvi at the monument to the fallen soldiers of the Latgale Partisan Regiment.

Following this, a discussion entitled “Stompaki National Partisan Camp as a Symbol of Patriotism and the Site's Future Potential” will take place at the Balvi Culture and Leisure Centre.

The discussion will feature: Minister of Agriculture Kaspars Gerhards, Minister of Defence Artis Pabriks, Minister of Justice Jānis Bordāns, Chairman of Balvi Municipal Council Sergejs Maksimovs, Balvi Municipal Council deputy Aldis Bukšs, Viktors Reblis (Latvijas valsts meži), historian Zigmārs Turčinskis, and Jaunsardze representative Valentīns Keišs; the discussion will be moderated by Mārtiņš Kaprāns.

In the afternoon, a church service and a commemorative event will be held in the territory of the Stompaki camp in Susāji Parish, Balvi Municipality, which will include the unveiling of the reconstructed bunker-church, as well as the consecration of a memorial sign for the national partisans buried in Stompaki.

The reconstruction of the bunker-church began in 2021, thanks to the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Latvijas valsts meži.

A detailed programme for the event will be available later.
Photo by Zane Lāce