Integration monitor is a daily Latvian press digest on ethnic minority and society integration issues. The Monitor reviews the biggest Latvian dailies: Diena, Latvijas Avize, Neatkariga (in Latvian language), Vesti Segodnya (in Russian language). In specific cases other information sources are used. Latvian Centre for Human Rights is not responsible for information published by the media.

• Vesti Segodnya reports about a practice of one of the Riga kindergartens on children integration
• Author of the Preamble Egils Levits: notion of the state nation defines the cultural identity of Latvian national state
• Director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Anhelita Kamenska: anti-cancer campaign is aimed at checking people’s health, not their language proficiency

Vesti Segodnya reports about a practice of one of the Riga kindergartens on children integration. The educators of the kindergarten work with children using folklore pedagogy to teach them love towards Latvian and Russian culture and traditions. Thus, children celebrate Latvian and Russian traditional celebration days and learn traditions of both nations. The kindergarten also implemented a project “Diversity of folk celebrations and traditions – wealth of Latvia” funded by the Riga City Council’s Education, Culture and Sports Department in which it shared with their experience with other kindergartens. Vesti Segodnya (28.10)

Newspapers report about the conference about the draft Preamble to the Constitution of Latvia. Responding to critics about the introduction of a notion of a “state nation” in the Preamble, the author of the Preamble Egils Levits explained that the state nation is not political but nationally cultural notion defining the cultural identity of Latvian national state. According to Mr Levits, in the context of Latvia’s constitutional rights, identity of ethnic Latvian nation is defined by three aspects: state language is Latvian, there is a duty to strengthen Latvian language and culture, and to care about ethnic minorities. Mr Levits statedthat belonging to a state nation is defined not by origin but by self identification of a person disregard his/her ethnic belonging. Mr Levits also stated that belonging to a state nation does not have any legal effects and does not provide any privileges. Diena, Vesti Segodnya (28.10)

The director of the Latvian Centre for Human Rights Anhelita Kamenska strongly criticises the attempts of the State Language Centre (SLC) to restrict public dissemination of printed information by state institutions in the Russian language.  She draws attention to the recent ban by the SLC to distribute invitations in Russian prepared by the Ministry of Health for cancer prevention campaign aimed at encouraging women to undergo preventive breast and cervical cancer checks. Anhelita Kamenska highlights the cases when the SLC tried to restrict the public dissemination of printed information in Russian (brochures on public safety, crime victim satisfaction survey questionnaires by State Police, leaflet by Central Statistical Board for population census, etc.) by wrongly interpreting the State Language Law. She reminds that the anti-cancer campaign is aimed at checking people’s health, not their state (Latvian) language proficiency. Weekly magazine Ir