On 24 and 25 October, workshops organised as part of the “Olympic Quantum” project will take place in Alicante and Barcelona, combining sport, the Latvian language and a sense of belonging to Latvia through active and creative activities.
On 24 October, the workshops will take place at “Ābelīte”, the Latvian diaspora children's school in the Levante region of Alicante, followed by an event hosted by the Latvian community in Barcelona on 25 October. Families whose children regularly attend the diaspora school, as well as other Latvian families and friends interested in an active lifestyle and Latvia, are invited to participate.
In spring 2026, “Olympic Quantum” visited Latvian diaspora communities in Paris, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Strasbourg and the Alps. These activities took place during Olympic Month in Latvia, an annual initiative organised by the Latvian Olympic Committee (LOC) in educational institutions across the country. Each workshop began with a group warm-up using exercise routines developed by the LOC for participants of different ages. This created a symbolic bridge between Latvians living in Latvia and those abroad, while encouraging children and families to stay physically active.
The “Olympic Quantum” workshops will take place in Spain for the first time. Their aim is to strengthen participants' sense of belonging to Latvia, encourage the use of the Latvian language in informal settings and develop cross-border cooperation with Latvian communities across Europe. At the same time, the project highlights the importance of physical activity and sport as part of everyday life throughout the year.
The workshops will be led by Latvian Olympian Jolanta Dukure. Participants will have the opportunity to:
improve their Latvian language skills through reading and completing tasks related to movement and sport;
take part in quizzes and educational games about sports terminology, athletes and Latvian sporting achievements;
test their agility through relay races and sports games;
create Latvian fan accessories and enjoy face-painting activities.
"Strengthening language skills through sport and an active lifestyle is an effective way to combine learning with positive emotions, movement and social interaction. Movement and emotions enhance memory, and learning a language in dynamic, emotionally engaging situations helps children retain knowledge more effectively. Joy and excitement become natural sources of motivation, and children feel less afraid of making mistakes when actively using the language," emphasises Jolanta Dukure, project manager and Latvian Olympian.
The activities in Spain will also involve Inga Madžule, Remigration Coordinator at the Vidzeme Planning Region, who will lead discussion workshops on opportunities to return to Latvia. These informal conversations will give Latvian families living abroad an opportunity to learn more about life, employment and the possibilities of returning to Latvia.
"The Latvian diaspora in Spain is relatively young compared, for example, with Latvian communities in Ireland or the United Kingdom. Therefore, I see greater potential for return migration, as many families have not yet established roots abroad over several generations and still maintain close ties with family members living in Latvia. Building on the successful contacts already established with Latvians in Alicante and Barcelona, I see promising opportunities to further develop cooperation through the 'Olympic Quantum' project," says Inga Madžule.
The project's activities in Spain represent another step towards strengthening connections between Latvians living in Latvia and abroad through sport and non-formal education. “Olympic Quantum” demonstrates that the Latvian language and a sense of belonging to Latvia can also be strengthened in an active, modern and international environment.
The project is financially supported by the Society Integration Foundation using Latvian state budget funds allocated by the Ministry of Culture.
The project activities in Spain are organised by “Ābelīte”, the Latvian diaspora children's school in the Levante region, and the Latvian community in Barcelona, in cooperation with the Latvian Association in France, dukure.eu and the Vidzeme Planning Region.
Translated by AI