The Celebrations have come and gone. They have finished. And will come again soon - Latvia's Jubilee Year has symbolically concluded, moving to other celebrations... On the First Advent we lit one of the four candles in the period leading to Christmas. This happened symbolically on Sunday in Alūksne, where we unveiled a 21^st century column - a gift to the diligent residents of this city, who are full of ideas and had the most daring Bridges of Light project in Latvia. On the evening of the 22^nd of August they created a path of light and flowers, connecting three city bridges.   

Latvia's Birthday Year has shown that we know how to be happy - we know how to create celebrations and we know how to celebrate them properly. Latvia is not something distant and unclear - it is right here with us. Latvia's Jubilee Diary was a place to find out, think, remember, feel and understand, a place where bridges could be built between people. To feel proud about who we are and what we can achieve! We can pick fragrant flowers and weave them into a contour of Latvia, we can wish ourselves, our friends and even complete strangers the most adventurous dreams, and we can sing and dance so brightly and happily, that it can be heard around the world!  

We can raise lights against the darkness, stretching up onto our toes, seeing thousands of lights... We can do heavy physical work, so that Latvia can breathe more freely. We can break records both in running and in dancing. We can tell everyone loudly with pride in our voices, what our values are and what we wish of the future. Despite everything we can rejoice due to the shining fairy tales, which sprouted up in the middle of the city. And we can sing Dievs, svētī Latviju! with respect. 

I saw the future Latvia most clearly a few days after Latvia's Birthday, by visiting those newly born babies, who were lucky enough to come into the world on the 18^th of November 2008. I had the honour to see and meet more than half of these little citizens of Latvia on their third day of life. I can say from the heart, that the day which started at the Rīga Maternity Hospital and continued in Kurzeme - in Talsi, Kuldīga and Liepāja, gave me the powerful conviction that everything will be all right in the future as well. This feeling was also within the children's parents and the people around them. In ten years time, these little citizens will celebrate their first round jubilee - 10 years, with Latvia on its hundredth. And they will certainly be thankful that we will be celebrating with them. To us all. To Latvia!

Illustration: Aigars Bumburs